THE CANCER CAMPAIGN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20786, 3 August 1929, Page 28

THE CANCER CAMPAIGN.

to' the editor. SiKj—The appointment of Dr A. M Begg to a position in the laboratories of the Otago Medical School, where he can carry on his research work on cancer, marks the beginning of'tho activities of the recently formed New Zealand branch of the British Empire Cancer Campaign. I had the pleasure of seeing Dr Begg at work three years, ago- at the Stroud Laboratories, near London, and was much impressed with his enthusiastic devotion to cancer research. Dr Gye, his chief, famed the world over for his cancer investigations, spoke very highly indeed of the qualities and usefulness of his assist ant. The New Zealand branch of the Cancel Campaign has its central organisation at Wellington, with representatives on the council from each of the other leading towns. Dunedin is represented by his Worship the Mayor, the chairman of the Otago Hospital Board, Sir Lindo Ferguson, and myself, A division is to be formed in each of the main districts to deal particularly with the local problems of. administration and finance, for, to a large extent, funds subscribed in any district are.to be devoted to research and treatment in that particular district. The Travis Fund, for instance, bequeathed by a Christchurch resident for research in cancer and tuberculosis, will provide an income of about £3OOO per annum to be spent ihostly for the benefit of the Christchurch district.

Throughout the Dominion generous financial support is anticipated. The tragedy of cancer touches most families more or less deeply, for of those who reacn middle age at least one in 10 is doomed to die of this distressing trouble, and al ready many well-to-do people have expressed a desire to help in this effort to cope with the ever-increasing foil in life and suffering that cancer is causing throughout the civilised world. There are many directions in which cancer investigation can be'usefully pursued in New Zealand. Good work can be done, has been done, and will be done in the laboratories of the Medical School. The accommodation there is equal to anything of the kind in Australia, but a good deal more equipment and additional personnel will be necessary. The laboratory work will, of course, be linked up with the cancer clinic that is to be established at the Dunedin Hospital, with special cancel wards, investigation and record rooms, and extra facilities’ for radium. X-ray. and diathermy treatment. This department will also need generous financial assistance in order to achieve its objects which will be to encourage earlier consultations, establish earlier diagnoses, and greatly increase the number of cures by improvements in the various methods of treatment. Our research department will also busy itself in a continuation of a cancer survey in New, Zealand, already well begun, so as to get all the local knowledge possible bearing upon predisposing causes such as diet, occupation, heredity, climate, environment, irritations, or injuries and so on. In this way much valu-able-information can be accumulated and circulated for ■ the benefit of the people generally. In all civilised, countries an intensive cancer-campaign is now in-progress. .In England the financial contributions have been on a most generous scale, and I feel sure that in New Zealand the same liberal assistance, to a worthy cause will be forthcoming. The formation of the Otago division will soon be an accomplished fact. A preliminary meeting has already been held at which I had the honour of being elected chairman, and it has been left to his Worship the Mayor ‘ (Mr R. S. Black) and jrayself to organise a public meeting and enlist the co-operation of our leading citizens as soon as it seems expedient so to, do. May I say in conclusion that there is no necessity to wait for such a meeting before subscribing to the funds of the Otago division of the Cancer Campaign? His Worship the Mayor or I will very gratefully acknowledge contributions.—l am, etc., L. E. Bassett. Hampden, August 2.