EAT MORE FRUIT.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 September 1924, Page 5

EAT MORE FRUIT.

aid to good health. AN ENEMY OF CANCER. LONDON SURGEON’S VIEW, By Telegraph-Press Assn.—Copyright. Received Sept. 19, 8.50 p.m. London, Sept. 18. In the Daily Telegraph, Sir William Arbuthnot Lane, a distinguished London surgeon, states that fruit-eating is a necessity and not a luxury. It is the only certain way of staying the rapidly increasing plague of cancer and innumerable other diseases, from which fruit-eating natives are free. A leading fruit importer, commenting on the above, says the tendency towards more fruit-eating is universal. Bananas are the most popular. The apple continues to hold, its own, and if their Dominion friends only discard the antiquated, methods of grading and packing in order to send fruit which will open up in good condition, there is no reason why a big apple trade should not be developed within the Empire. At present New Zealand alone seems to have grasped the importance of grading and packing to meet the requirements here, while some of her neighbours appear incapable of appreciating the most rudimentary requirements-

RADIUM TREATMENT. HEALTH DEPARTMENT’S POLICY. The policy of the Health Department in regard to the acquisition of radium for use in the treatment of cancer was stated by the Minister for Health (Sir Maui Pomare), at the laying of the foundation stone 6f the new wards at the Auckland Hospital. 'The Minister said that there was no doubt a great deal to bo said for the use of radium in the treatment of cancer. The problem had to be tackled, as it was their duty to eradicate cancer, or at least lessen or soften the pain of those who were suffering. He mentioned his correspondence with 4 a great authority in England, who had said that it had been established that radium did an immense amount of good when applied to cancer, and he felt that New Zealand must have it, even if only to relieve suffering. There was, however, some doubt as to the quantity which should be obtained for tJie needs of the country. Professor Barlow had estimated that one grain was sufficient for a population of two million people, the cost of providing for the 42,000,000 people of England being given as £2,340,000. On the present population New Zealand would require £lO,OOO worth, and they already had that quantity. The Minister added that he wanted to make the point that they had to be cautions in their expenditure and not burden the ratepayers with too much taxation. In the matter of obtaining radium he wanted to find out the right quantity sufficient for the country’s needs and yet within their means. Dr. ,E. C. Maguire, medical superintendent of the Auckland Hospital, will probably Visit England next year, leaving in April, and intends to make a special study there of the progress in cancer research. The chairman of the board (Mr. W. Wallace) said that tire projected visit will offer a good opportunity to the board to obtain first-hand information on the subject before it goes in for any expensive apparatus for the treatment of cancer. “We hear so many different stories about cancer cures and methods of treatment,” he said, “that it is essential to obtain reliable information before installing extravagant plant. Nothing is more deserving of our consideration. The .position in Auckland is pitiful.” Ho added that radium had been obtained for Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin, for the treatment of cancer, but there was dcubt as to the efficiency of radium treatment. For that reason Dr. Maguire’s visit to England would be very serviceable to the board.