MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6129, 16 March 1898, Page 2

MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL MEETING. THE SPREAD OF CANCER. [Pbr Press Association.] WELLINGTON, March 15. The annual meeting of the N6W Zealand branch of the Medical Association began to-day. Dr Cleghorn, the president, submitted the report of the Council, which stated that the membership was now 173, and would soon be 200. The balance-sheet showed a credit of £15. It was suggested that the permanent headquarters should be either in Christchurch or in Wellington, and that a permanent parliamentary secretary should be appointed. It was decided to adopt the latter suggestion, and Dr Mason, of Otaki, was appointed. Dr Fell, the president-elect, then took the chair. Dr Symes read a paper on a new CD. Act for New Zealand, and a discussion followed, in which the opinion was generally expressed that the Act was necessary in the interests of the public health. WELLINGTON, March 16. Dr Fell's presidential address to the Medical Association was devoted to the growth of cancer in New Zealand. This disease, he said, was of comparatively recent development, but now claimed in New Zealand alone 380 deaths per year. He read a table for the last sixteen years, which showed a remarkable increase in the number of males who had died from this cause. This was because the disease was more internal than with -women, and more inoperable. The number of deaths would be much larger but for the operations. A fair proportion of these were successful in prolonging life, either for some years or altogether. The cause of the disease no one could tell. There was an unknown something in it that no one could name, but some day the riddle would be solved, and preventive measures would check its ravages. He did not favour the theory that low-lying and swampy districts had a good deal to do with cancer.