BOARD DISCUSSES CANCER TREATMENT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18940, 10 December 1929, Page 5

BOARD DISCUSSES CANCER TREATMENT.

DECISION IS DEFERRED PENDING ACTION BY BRANCH OF SOCIETY

The proposed cancer* research campaign and the advisability of establishing a local fund for the Ashburton Hospital was discussed at some length by the. Hospital Board at the monthly meeting yesterday. The chairman (Mr W. P. Lill) reported on the conference recently held in Christchurch to form a branch of the Empire Research Campaign Society, and stated that Marlborough, Nelson, Westland and Canterbury would form one division with a view to raising £25,000. The scheme was worthy of support, and they would be failing in their duties if they did not co-operate in the scheme. There were great possibilities for the use of radium in connection with cancer, and he had been of the opinion for a long time that radium would be a valuable thing to have on hand at the county hospital. Dr H. S. Billcliff (medical superintendent) said that he had given considerable attention to the radium treatment of cancer when in England, ancf he was quite satisfied that with radium they could obtain results comparable with those achieved elsewhere. Soon after his return steps were taken to interest Messrs Pearce and Bergh (trustees of the Travis bequest) in.the desirability of including radium treatment in the hospital’s services. At his invitation the trustees paid a visit to the institution, and as a result they had made an offer of £3OO as a donaton in order to start a fund. He estimated that £ISOO would be necessary to enable them to secure sufficient radium for their purposes. If given the requisite authority he would endeavour to organise an effort to raise the required sum. Messrs Pearce and Bergh’s decision had been arrived at after going thoroughly into the matter of the district’s needs. He did not suggest that the board should use the ratepayers* money. Only enough radium to treat one person at a time was required. Mr W. G. Gallagher stated that he thought it advisable for the board to get into touch with the special commitr tee of the society concerning the advisability of the medical superintendent’s scheme. Dr J. R. Wells agreed with Mr Gallagher. The idea was to centralise the campaign. Some arrangements could be made to enable patients from the district to be treated in Christchurch, where there was always a good supply of radium. He was convinced that Ashburton could not act independently of the committee set up last week. Mr G. S Hardy suggested that the board might be able to assist the committee. The board could go ahead and place its purchase of radium at the Christchurch hospital. The chairman said that he did not think the board had any idea of cutting awav from the work of the com mittee. The board was paying away £l2O a year, sending patients to Christchurch. lie thought some arrangements should be made with Christchurch. Mr C. A. Campion suggested that the proposed effort be delayed until they ascertained the committee’s policy. Dr Billcliff said they had been offered £3OO, and it was a case of accepting or refusing it. Mr W. Baigent referred to the difficulty of taking patients from place to place. If there was radium in Ashburton it would be a boon to the town. Mr Horsey was of opinion that if radium was obtained it should be available to all local doctors. He moved that the matter be deferred to await the committee’s policy. This was seconded by Mr Campion. Mr Hardy moved as an amendment that the trustees of the Travis bequest be thanked for their offer, and to inform them that the board was going into the matter thoroughly. It was agreed to add this to the motion, which was carried.