THE GANGER SCOURGE

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11660, 26 October 1923, Page 5

THE GANGER SCOURGE

RADIUM NEGOTIATIONS DEPT. OF HEALTH DESIRES TO INVESTIGATE. QUESTION OF X-RAYS. The recommendation of the finance committee, “that the board approve the proposed installation of t\ radium emanation plant for the treatment of cancer and other diseases, and authorises the committee to arrange a contract for a supply of radium, provided a sufficient amount of money ta raised from the public, and subsidy thereon, to complete the purchase.” came before the Wellington Hospital Board yesterday. “You are quite well aware that a committee has been set up in this city to raise funds for this,” said the chairman (Mr F. Castle), “and from what I know and what 1 have seen I am satisfied that once the appeal is definitely made to the people in Wellington and around it, the money will be forthcoming.” HELD UP. At present, he said, they were unalb Le to complete negotiations with the Katanga Radium Company. He had been in touch with the Health Department on the matter, and with regard to the proposal to establish four institutes in New Zealand, each provided with one gramme of radium, the Government subsidy on this would be something like £40,000 or £50,000. Therefore the department wished to aftsure itself that radium was not falling vn price. That was merely a good business proposition, and cables were now passing between the DirectorGeneral of Health and Dr. McGill, who was now in England, and who would investigate. Treatment of cancer was now being done by X-rays. It had recently been stated that treatment by X-rays had been very successful, and doubtless the department wished to ex--1 plore this field. NAMING THE FUND. At the start he thought it best that the fund should be called the Radiation Fund for the Treatment of Cancer. The Dunedin Hospital Board had done this, and it would enable them to secure treatment by either method. The department could advise them when all details were settled. He asked them' then to approve the clause and enable them to proceed. One condition to which they had objected was the prepayment of the sum of £2OOO. He had told) the Katanga firm that the board was not prepared to do this, and the manager had been agreeable to his proposal, and had promised to communicate with his principals. Mr C. H. Chapman expressed his pleasure that the recommendation had come from the committee. He was strongly in favour of tho fund —it had been established that radium could be used effectively in the treatment of cancer, and there was no more commendable purpose imaginable. X-JRA Y TREATMENT. Dr. H. B. Ewen, acting-medical superintendent, stated that there had been no marked development as far as X-ray treatment of cancer was concerned, apart from radium. Of course, it must be realised that there were different forms in various parts of the body. In dealing with some of these X-rays were better; others again were more amenable to radium. He had communicated with the Council of the British Aledical Association in New Zealand on the matter, and they, who were wholeheartedly behind the effort, would shortly issue a statement on the question. “CLAIMS PARAMOUNT.”

Air Castle remarked that he thought the Wellington institute would be established as soon as any other. He thought that the claims of the city would be paramount, owing to its. central position. “It is the first public appeal which we have made since the establishment of the Children’s Hospital fifteen years ago,” he said, “and I think that it will be recognised/’

A letter from the Director-General of Health (Dr. T. A. H. Valintine) stated that the Department of Health was investigating—through the High Commissioner—the quantities of radium necessary, and the cost, and that it was considered inadvisable for the board to commit itself in-the meantime. The report was adopted.