THE CANCER DISCOVERY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19364, 22 July 1925, Page 2

THE CANCER DISCOVERY

A WELCOME GIFT. LONDON, July 20. The trustees of Sir William Dunn have given the Medical Research Council £lO,OOO to promote research into filterable viruses in connection with Mr Barnard’s and Dr Gye’s cancer theories. RESEARCH WORK AT OTAGO. Dr. Barnett, who has had special experience in dealing with cancer, sajd that in regard to the reported discovery at Home, that it would be premature just now to build any high hopes on what has so far been reported. Even if the cause did prove to be a germ, there was a long way to go yet in discovering the proper treatment. There were many reasons for and against the germ theory of cancer, and many investigators had come to the conclusion that the disease was not likely to be caused by a germ. The report of this discovery, therefore, was sure to be received with a considerable amount of scepticism for some time, and there was bound to be a controversy aroused. “It may be news to a section of the public,” said Dr. Barnett, “that a Department for Cancer Research has already been established at Otago Medical School, and it is highly probable that this department will be asked to undertake preliminary investigations to ‘try out’ any now discovery. Similar requests will be made of course to other research departments the world over. We are anxious to got this department for cancer and other research work well provided for with endowments. There was a start of £2OO which came as a legacy from a Wellington Hospital patient, and then Mrs. Horatio Massey gave £lOOO, so that the Nucleus of a fund is there. In all probability this department will he called upon to investigate the merits of this new discovery.”