TREATMENT OF CANCER

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21415, 6 March 1935, Page 12

TREATMENT OF CANCER

"Greatest Medical Problem" CHANGE IN METHODS RECOMMENDED U'HESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) HASTINGS, March 5. Cancer is by far the greatest medical problem of the present day, .according to Dr. J. S. Elliott, president of the New Zealand branch of the British Empire Cancer Campaign, who addressed delegates to ' the Hospital Boards' conference at Napier to-night. He said a steady rise in the cancer death-rate in New Zealand since 1875 now placed the total at 1500 yearly. Dr. Elliott said the following recommendations as to the treatment of the disease had been made:— (1) Centralisation of treatment. (2) Control by experts only. (3) Reconditioning of radium. (4) Proper applicators for cancer of the womb. (5) Recognition of the fact that X-ray plants mechanically rectified, of the type now at the four centres, cannot supply suitable high voltage for deep penetration. <G) The installation at each centre of an up-to-date valve rectified plant to give 300 yilovolts for deep therapy treatment of cancer at a cost of from £2OOO to £2500 for each centre hospital. (.7) Restriction of the use of plants at present installed to the treatment of non-cancerous diseases, superficial growths, and perhaps mental comfort for advanced and hopeless cancer cases. There is plenty of work for the two machines. <B> A cancer clinic as at present and wards for 10 male and 10 female patients. and special nursing for thorough radiation treatment. There is more need for cancer wards or a cancer hospital than for tuberculosis wards or a consumptive hospital, because cancer is a far greater scourge. <!)) Separation of the X-ray diagnosis from X-ray treatment department; 10 heads of staff; a whole-time (or parttime at first) radiological surgeon, and a whole-time assistants and honorarics specialising in the treatment of regional cancer; a house surgeon and record clerk. (11) Large salaries because of the highly specialised professional skill and dangerous occupation. One month's leave a year on full pay and six months' travel abroad on full pay every five years. 'l2) Restriction of treatment by radism or ray therapy to only those who are expert. 'l3) No treatment at all is better than a pretence at treatment, and more honest. "in my opinion, if these suggestions are put into practice without delay," said Dr. Elliott, "relatively early cases of cancer will show as high a percentage of cures in New Zealand as in Stockholm. Paris. London, or the clinics of America. Indeed, we have an opportunity of making our Dominion one of the leading countries in the world in the cancer campaign. We can produce zeal and talent; but can we get money, when so much apparently is needed for comparatively inferior objects?"