CANCER WAR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22203, 5 March 1934, Page 10

CANCER WAR

AXISTRAUA PREPARES 5 NOTABLE CONFERENCE. , (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, February 23. Considerable promirience was given by the Sydney press this week to the arrival by the Wanganella of a young New Zealand scientist, Mr J. A. Strong, a graduate of Victoria College,- Wellingwho is to make a special study of the fight that is taking place against that dread disease, cancer. Mr Strong's main purpose is to study in the great hospitals in Sydney and Melbourne, and in between he will attend a most r important conference which is to be held !at Canberra from April 17 to April 20. More 1 than 60 delegates, including noted specialists from all over Australia and New Zealand, University professors, research scientists, and representatives of ; all the Fpderal and State health administrations will attend. It ■to be the largest gathering of experts yet held in Australia to discuss new methods of attack against the deadliest disease of modern times. A detailed agenda which is now being prepared by the Commonwealth health authorities, will deal exhaustively with all aspects of ancer problems. Special attention will, however, be given to the association of research physicists, pathologists,; and doctors. ■ With, the highly technical v development of the X-ray machinejlthis branch of study has advanced beyond the knowledge of the medical men. It is pointed out that the control of generating plants alone requires a specialised skill. This is indicated by the fact that last year the power used in X-ray appliances had been increased from 200,000 volts to '400,000, Special interest attaches to this aspect of the conference »following the' recent issue of a report by the Health Committee of the League of Nations, which advocated world reform in the medical profession to bring it into line with modern scientific attainments. The conference will considers what can be done in that direction in Australia. Another outstanding topic at the conference will relate to the necrosis problems—the damage to the healthy tissues when X-ray treatment is used for cancer. Statistics will also be presented to the delegates.showing the results of radium treatment of cancer in Australia since 1928. It is expected that these will reveal some highly important informaI tion which will be used as a guide by the medical profession. During the past i four or five years more than 10,000 cases of cancer have been so treated with radium which cost the Federal authori ities £IOO,OOO. Incidentally the same radium is worth very much more than that to-day. It has recently been reconditioned. That the expenditure was not in vain will be shown by the measure of success which has attended radium treatment. j