EMPIRE CANCER CAMPAIGN

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22512, 21 September 1938, Page 6

EMPIRE CANCER CAMPAIGN

Annual Meeting Of Division PROGRESS REPORTED TO CANTERBURY "This division and the trustees of the Travis Estate may feel well satisfied that in the establishment of the physical laboratory at Canterbury University College a very practical advance has been made in the attack upon the cancer problem of the country," stated the report read yesterday to the annual meeting of the Canterbury, Marlborough, Nelson, and Westland division of the British Empire Cancer Campaign Society. "The organisation promises to develop steadily and to render even better service through* out the whole Dominion," added the, Hugh Acland, who presided at the meeting, was reappointed chairman. v (< , _„ The report added that it was pleasing to know that the new trustees of the Travis Estate, Messrs J. W. Beanland, H. A. Young, and Dr. C. T. HandNewton, would continue the financial arrangements agreed upon by the late Mr Herbert Pearce up to November, 1939 Before that date fresh arrangements would have to be made m regard to the work of the Travis radiological physicist and the carrying on of the pliysicul laboratory, and the society looked forward confidently to receiving the same generous financial assistance from the Travis trustees in order that this very important rwork i might continue and develop. ... When Mr J. A\ Strong was appointed Travis radiological physicist, his work was carried out at the Wellington Hospital with assistance from the physics department of the Victoria University College, said the report. In 1937, by the generosity of the Board of Governors of Canterbury University College, the Travis radiological physical laboratory was established ,in the college, it being considered fitting that it should be in the home town of Mr Trsvis "The work of Mr J. A. Strong is now supervised by Professor F. W. G. White, professor of physics at the college and a member of the medical, research, executive and finance committees of this division," said the repbrt. "A sub-committee cbnsisting of Professor White, Sir Hugh Acland, Mr L. A. Bennett, and Dr. P. C. Fenwick, has been appointed to consider and report from time, to time upon the work of th 'Vn b J 0 u1y. 0 1937, this division gave to the North Canterbury Hospital Board £1750 towards the installation of a new deep X-ray therapy plant, and the board gave to the society parts of the original plant which was replaced by the more modern equipment. with these parts and further equipment provided by the Travis Trust the physicist has set up a standard equipment at Canterbury College for testing and research work. 1 Visits to Hospitals

"To facilitate his work, Mr Strong has been appointed by the Health Department an assistant inspector of hospitals, and visits periodically the several hospitals in the Dominion for the purpose of inspecting the X-ray plants installed, and he reports to the Director-General of Health the results of his inspections. "Because X-radiation for the treatment and cure of cancer necessitates the use of a complex piece of physical apparatus—the X-ray plant—the intricacies of which should be the concern of a competent physicist, and the services of such a physicist- should be available for the medical profession, the Cancer Campaign Society took steps leading to the appointment of the Travis radiological physicist. The duties of the physicist are not merely of a mechanical and routine nature — he must be not only highly trained m the purely scientific side of his subject, but he must also pe capable of carrying out extensive research investigation in the problems which arise for solution. "There is ho doubt that Mr Strong's research work as physicist is of the greatest value to those responsible for the treatment of patients by X-radia-tion. Without an elaborate organisation for investigating tfce physical problems of X-radiation, no real progress can be made in the treatment of i cancer by this means in the hospitals of the Dominion. The radiological physical laboratory and the services of a competent physicist are essential to this."

The statement of accounts of the division for the year ended March 31 show that £924 19s 9d was received during the year, and the expenditure amounted tb £916 8s lOd, leaving a credit balance .of £8 10s lid. The assets consist of investments £20,270 12s, less £382 18s lOd premiums received on conversion of debentures, leaving £19,887 13s 2d, radium at cost £263 6s 4d, and cash at the Bank of New.Zealand, Christchurch, £lO7 16s 3d, and cash in hand £8 2s 6d. It should be noted that the receipts from interest on investments is reduced by the withdrawal of £1544 8s for the purpose of providing towards the payment of the £1750 grant to the Christchurch Hospital. "Very Good Service"

The cancer clinic at the local hospital was doing very good service, said Sir Hugh Acland, sneaking to the report, and he also-paid a tribute to the Work being carried out in other parts of the Dominion. Mr John Mac Gibbon, seconding the report, said that the bulk of the society's investments were in local body debentures, for which the society was very fortunate to receive interest at the rate of 4i per cent.—especially as new issues were at 3J per cent. "I was not going to prophesy, but it may be lower in the future," he added. Moving a vote of thanks to the trustees of the Travis Estate, a substantial contributor to the society's funds. Sir Hugh Acland said that he felt that the society was doing a great service to people in New Zealand unfortunate enough to be suffering from cancer Mr J. W. Beanland, responding for the trustees, assured, the meeting that they would do everything possible to assist the society in the excellent work it was doing. CANCER CAMPAIGN SOCIETY

OFFICERS ELECTED FOR YEAR Sound progress during the year was reported to the annual meeting yesterday of the Canterbury, Marlborough Nelson, and Westland Division of the British Empire Cancer Campaign Society. The following officers were elected:—Chairman, Sir Hugh Acland: general committee, Sir Hugh Acland, Messrs J. W. Baty, J. W. Beanland, L. A. Bennett, H. L. Bowker, Dr. W. Mark Brown, Messrs J. J. Brownlee, T. Chapman, Dr. J. K. Davidson, Professor H. G. Denham, Professor C. Coleridge Farr, Dr. P. C. Fenwick, Mr P. S. Foster, Dr. W. Fox, Mr F. E. Graham, Mrs Grant ("Elloughton Grange." Timaru), Dr. J. Guthrie, Dr. N. Guthrie, Messrs R. E. McDougall, J. Mac Gibbon, Dr. J. C. MacKenzie (Timaru), Mr J. R. McKenzie, Dr. D. MacMillan, Dr. A. J. Mason (Ashburton), Dr. A. D. Nelson, Dr. C. T.

I Hand-Newton, Mr H. J. Otley, Dr. A. B Pearson, Dr. T. Fletcher Telford, 'Dr. E. F. Thomson, Mr J. M-. H. Tripp I (Geraldine), Dr. W.. H. tfnwin (Tfmaru), Dr.. J. Russell Wells (Ashburton), Mr G. T. Weston, Professor F, W. O. White, Mr H. A. Young, with others permanently appointed. Executive and Finance Committee — Sir Hugh Acland, Messrs L. A. Bennett, H. L. BoWker, Dr. P. C. Fenwick. MessA P. S. Foster, J. Mac Gibbon, H. J Otley, G. T. Weston, Professor F. W. G. White. Medical and Research Committee: Sir Hugh Acland, Mr L. A. Bennett, Dr. W. Mark Brown, Mr. J. J. Brownlee, Dr. J. K. Davidson, Professor H. G. Denham, Dr. P. C. Fenwick, Mr P. S. Foster, Dr. N. Guthrie, Mr C. F. Hines, Dr. J. C. MacKenzie CTimaru), Dr. D. MacMillan. Dr. A. J. Mason CAshburton). Dr. A- D. Nelson. Dr. A. B. Pearson. Dr. E. F. Thomson, Dr. W. H. XJnwin CTimaru), Dr. Russell WeHs (Ashburton), Professor F. W. G. White. Treasurer: Mr J. Mac Gibbon; auditor, Mr Denys Hoare.