MEDICAL RESEARCH

Southland Times, Issue 17547, 10 January 1914, Page 6

MEDICAL RESEARCH

RADIUM, TREATMENT. CHRISTCHURCH DOCTOR’S OPINION. (Special to the Times.) CHRISTCHURCH, January 9. When Mr W. Diamond, of Christchurch, was in London, he gave special attention to the treatment of cancer, and tills brought him Into touch with the Radium Institute, where, he stated in an interview, wonderfully good work was being done In regard to that disease and others. The demands on the Institute were heavy. The work had to he conducted in relays, and went on practically through tlie whole twenty-four hours. It was now recognised that in many cases the radium treatment was absolutely necessary. He did not stay in London sufficiently long to trace the progre-s of the cases, many of which occupied much but lie saw some patients who had been treated before it is visit and others who were being treated while lie was there, and lie was impressed with the fact that radium would prove to be a great boon to the human race. Evidently the radium treatment had a great future. He was so convinced of that that he fell it was desirable to establish an Institute in New Zealand. The project should be taken in band by the Government. It would be too expensive for an individual or a local body. In London, for instance, lie had scon a patient with a tube of radium worth five thousand pounds in a tumour. Resides that, special appliances and special men were required, as the treatment demanded much study before it could be mastered. He felt that the Government should establish .an Institute in tlie dominion, and engage an experienced staff and there treatment could he given to pa'ionts from all parts of tlie country. It w-is a quo tion that was well worthy of consideration of the Government, and he hoped that in the interests of humanity something would be done befote long. ________