MENACE OF CANCER.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 July 1923, Page 9

MENACE OF CANCER.

MERITS OF RADIUM TREATMENT. *A VALUABLE ADJUNCT.” Christchurch, June 27. It was reported to the Hospital Board to-day that Dr. J. Guthrie, representing the honorary staff, had called attention to the urgent need there was for the establishment of a central department, either in each main centre or one establishment for New Zealand, for the purpose of handling the question of radium treatment, which of late had come very much to the fore. The following report was presented by the honorary staff:—“The use of radium, as instanced by the report of the Radium Institute of London and Manchester, bv the testimony of numerous surgeons, European and American, and by the published reports of the Dunedin Hospital for 1921-22, has proved a valuable adiunct in the treatment of cancer. Its efficiency has been proved in certain cases to have resulted in a cure and in manj' other cases to have produced amelioration of suffering and extension of life. It must be remembered that the majority of cases in which radium has been resorted to are just those in which aid from any other source had been abandoned—in the words of Dr. Rudolph Holmes, ‘the unfortunate patient is robbed of the assurance of certain death, and given the happy thought of the uncertainty of life.’ In view of the foregoing facts your honorary staff, whilst thanking the Dunedin Schoo! for the courtesy extended to Canterbury patients, would point out that these patients lire severely handicapped in having to travel to Dunedin, often in distressing circumstances, for radium treatment. The handicap must be considerably greater for patients from other parts of the Dominion less favorably situated: furthermore, the expenses to the hospital board incurred in transport and maintenance of patients for treatment in- Dunedin is a matter worthy of consideration. For these reasons it appears advisable that the future provision of radium treatment should be considered for the benefit of the population of the Dominion as a whole, and it must, therefore, be dealt with as a matter for the consideration of the Government itself or one of its departments, or alternatively as a matter for the joint consideration of the base hospital boards throughout the Dominion. Radium treatment can be carried out by two methods: The application of radium itself, necessitatng patients travelling to a radium institute; and the application of radium emanation, which can he conveniently drawn off and distributed for use in any part of the Dominion. It is a matter for much careful thought both as regards expense and technical efficiency. If these two alternatives should be adopted radium treatment should be available in each of the four centres. The installation of an institute where radium can be applied directly and where the emanation can be drawn off for distribution to other centres, comprising both methods, is expensive, but it might not be so expensive as provision of a sufficient quantity of radium available for application in centre. London, Manchester and Glasgow have each adopted the method of emanation treatment. Reliable details are not available locally as to the price of radium and cost of maintenance of a radium institute, but this could be obtained from the institutes at London. Glasgow and Manchester. The capita! expenditure for the establishment of an ins* : tute may be roughly estimated at £40.000.”

Dr. Fenwick said the matter was one of great importance and Government action was necessary. Cancer was becoming a grave menace, and he noted that it was attacking younger and younger people. Producing a small piece of radium, Dr. Fenwick said it cost him £5OO. and already it had treated 100 people. To some the radium had proved of marvellous value; to others if had not been worth a postage stamp. He moved the matter should be referred to a special committee.

The chairman (Mr. H. J. Otley) said that the matter should be looked at from the point of view of humanity, and not from that of £.s.d. The Government must do something. A special committee was set up.