THE SUPPLY OF RADIUM

Southland Times, Issue 22896, 22 May 1936, Page 5

THE SUPPLY OF RADIUM

SOUTHLAND’S POSITION DEPENDENT ON DUNEDIN

Dissatisfaction with the present system of obtaining Southland’s radium supplies from Dunedin was expressed at the monthly meeting of the Southland Hospital Board yesterday. Members emphasized that the radium belonged to Southland and it was decided to ascertain what profit Dunedin was making from its custody of the supply. , The charges levied on the radium were mentioned by Dr. J. A. Pottinger. Southland was “loaded” with the whole charges and capital cost of the radium, he said. This was unfair. The province should pay only transport and insurance, plus the cost of keeping the radium in a safe. People suffering from cancer ought to receive every possible aid from the community, but Southland could not play its part towards these sufferers under the present conditions. “The utilization of radium is changing from year to year,” he added, “and the amount used last year is no criterion of what will be used this year. Dunedin should not be permitted to stipulate the amounts we are to receive. The chances are that more and more radium will be required here.” Applying By Letter.

The secretary (Mr T. Pryde) mentioned what when Dr. C. C. Anderson (radiologist) required radium he had to apply to the board with the result that the formality of the Southland Board applying by letter to Dunedin for the radium had to be gone through. Mr J. W. Miller; Perhaps the change of Government will make a difference. It was explained that some of the conditions governing the contract under which the radium had been purchased were weak. One, in particular, which stiplated that the radium could only be obtained from Dunedin subject to the consent of the Minister of Health, had been regarded as a mere formality, but instead it had been rigidly enforced.

Dr. Pottinger: It seems strange that Southland should have to go through such a formality to obtain its own property. It would be well to find out how much Dunedin profited by its custody of the radium, Dr. Pottinger added. The agreement appeared to be very one-sided. After a short discussion it was decided that the secretary should make inquiries about the benefits received by Dunedin from the radium and that Dr. L. C. McNickle (medical superintendent at the Southland Hospital) and Dr. Anderson be asked to supply a report on Southland’s radium requirements for the next few years.