The New Zealand Times. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1923. GANGER AND RADIUM

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11648, 12 October 1923, Page 4

The New Zealand Times. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1923. GANGER AND RADIUM

In 1908 tie hopes of the British world, which had become alarmed by the spread of cancer, were high. The Imperial Cancer Research Fund had a capital of £120,000, producing an income of £7OOO a year. This wealthy corporation employed a staff of medical experts in its research work. They conducted in laboratories well equipped, and their ‘'subjects” going the way of cancer were supplied without stint by the brute creation. For more than two decades they worked in unimpeded fashion, with undiminißhed keenness, scientific guidance and steady application. For their help and encouragement, nothing was wanting that the medical profession or the man-in-the-street could supply. Nor was Royalty backward in support. The whole business, unhappily, proved to he a case of “a clear field, and no result.” Cause, development, treatment —on these fundamental points no light whatever was thrown. As a critic, generally patient throughout, summed it up in the phrase, ‘‘Thousands of experiments and not one millimetre of progress.” The head of the institution, after two decades of research, announced that they had progressed far enough to be able to say that “some forms of cancer arise from a state that is produced by irritation.” The supporting facts were that enginedrivers and workers in tar distilleries, who are exposed to great heat, and workers with X-ray plants, who succumb to the irritation caused by these, were among the cancer victims. But as he announced also that the women victims of cancer were more numerous than men, and as women do not drive engines, do not work in tar distilleries, and are not much concerned with Xray plants, the announcement was not of a very convincing nature. Of course, the research is not going to he abandoned on account of this failure of a fairly well endowed effort. These investigators have deserved success, though they have not attained it. But in the vastness of this world of many facts there lurks no. possible reason why other investigators who may deserve as well may not achieve the crown of success missed by other very willing and very capable predecessors. Of recent years much has been said about radium. So much that in some minds there is now a fixed belief that radium is going to prove tho effective instrument in the destruction of the cancer scourge. The sympathy of mankind is with these believers, with a hearty “So mote it he.”

But in a matter of such gravity enthusiastic approval is nothing. The facts arc everything, and the facts do not, large as their list is, as yet contain any cure effected by the use of this wonderful element. But they do contain many palliations. It has been proved that radium has considerably diminished pain. This alone would justify all possible effort to obtain a supply of this very rare and very expensive element. But the value of radium is beyond and above this, foT it is in many cases of disease on infallible help to diagnosis, the most difficult of all the functions of the medical faculty. And this applies to other things than cancer.

In the matter of cancer there is- encouragement in come researches, which have resulted in the adoption of a theory of causation and a line of treatment which leads to the hope, if not belief, of medical experts that cancer is curable, even at large stages, without the use of surgery at all. We say this with great diffidence, for of all the fearsome things in this world, the moat terrible is the misleading of people in danger of mortal agony. But a doctor oT eminence, Dr Robert Bell, has, after many years of practice, announced liis conclusion that cancer is, to speak popularly, a disease' of the blood, which can be treated by scientific attention to diet and careful attention to digestion, and the use of certain drugs. Without attempting an opinion about this Claim, we can at least say that radium Ought to be procured, if only as a help to diagnosis, on which medical practice relies for the direction of medical treatment. Either way, we must have radium in our hospital. That was the idea that brought so many citizens to the Town Hall, and induced them, after conferring with the Mayor, to set up a committee to get in the funds. By cooperating with that committee the citizens of Wellington will do their duty as members of a self-reliant, enlightened community, and have a just claim on the Government for the subsidy which every progressive Government is 'bound to give for the encouragement of well-directed philanthropic effort.