FOR CANCER OR T.B.?

Chronicle (Levin), 11 October 1946, Page 3

FOR CANCER OR T.B.?

-Press Associatton

Court Asked How Money Be Spent

By Teleqrayh—

CHRISTCHURCH, Oct. 10. Under the will of the late Mr. William Henry Travis who died in 1927, a large sum was bequeathed for research work in tuberculosis and cancer and today in the Supreme Court before Mr. Justice Sinith, the trusteestof the fund so.ught the approval of the Court to a acheine to provide funds to Otago University for the next seven years for research work in tuberculosis. Mr. VV. R. Lascelles appeared for the trustees — Henry Aitken Young (formerly Stipendiary Magistrate), Charles Treweeke Hand Newton (medical practitioner) and Alexander Prentice (secretary of the North Canterbury Hospital Board). Mr. R. A. Young appeared for the Otago University and Dr. Charles Ernest Hercus, Dean of the Medical Faculty of the University. Mr. H. R. C. Wilcl, of Wellington, represented the British Empire Cancer Campaign Society. At June 30, 1945, the assets of the fund were £53,974 and the aceumulated incorne totalled £12,014, said Mr. Lascelles. It was estimated that the net incorne would be about £1S00 a year. The Medical School at Otago University had appealed for help to develop pure research in tuberculosis and more than £3000 had been paid for that purpose during the last three years. The University had now submitted a seheme for assistanee for seven years and the trustees had considered the scheme a sound oue. The scheme was that for seven years there should be an annual grant of £2500 to the Medical School, a speeia] grant of £500 to be made at intervals to enable the senior of the junior Eellows to study overseas with consideration of a grant of £500 for equipment. The Cancer Campaign Society objected to the scheme because it would prejudice fiuancial help to whicb "the society eonsidered it was entitled under the trust. Eor some years the trustees had assisted the society and more than £3600 had been paid from 1929 to 1945. It would be fair to say that the society, whieh was a voluntary organisation, was in a good fiuanciaJ position, having accumulated a fund of about £109,000 in New Zealand. Tuberculosis research did not have the same popular following as cancer research. The Government recognised no respousibility for tuberculosis research at the school. "The relative social importance of tuberculosis and cancer' cannot be decided upon hgures for the death-rate, ; ' said Mr. Young. "The death-rate is lower for tuberculosis but the disease attacks those in the secoud, third and fourth decades of lifie — persons who are at a stage where they are productive and responsible for the continuation of a healthy lace. Cancer is a acourgc but it attacks in the main, persons whose productive powers have waned or ^eased, Tuberculosis is costly to the State and individual because it involves a long period of invalidity and convaleacence." The proposed scheme was based on the hope that research would be led to the discovery of an effective remedy which would save lives, continued Mr. Young. There was now no known remedy but progress had been made siuce the trust funds had been available to the University. It was submitted that the testator had anticipated that some scheme would be laid before liis trustees where something could be done for the good of humanity. No seheme had been suggested by tho Cancer Campaign Society. His Honour: To what extcnt does tho proposed work duplicate with the work done overseas? Mr. Young replied that Dr. Hercus had just returned from the United Kiugdom and that the proposed scheme had been discussed at the British Empire Scientific Conference and approved as being of fundamental importance to world research. A recent discovery that the tubercle baeillus in tlie animal body was vulnerable to the action of substances obtained from .other micro-organisms, from chemicals prepared synthetically, and from both acting together, had given a new and powerful stimulus to the search for anti-tuberculosis substances which could be used spccessfully for the treatment of human "beings. Mr. Wild submitted that there was a clear direction in the will that the money should be applied to research in both diseases. The duty of the trustees was to apply ,the money according to the testator 's wishes. In 19 years of trust, the distribution had been approximately equal between the two branches of resdhrch. In the proposed scheme £23,000 would be paid to tuberculosis research, leaving a balance of only £1000 of accumulated incorne, Deeision was reserved.