NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1960, 17 January 1914, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

In view of the large measure of success which has been achieved by tho use of radium in the treatment of certain diseases, it is interesting, to note that the proposal advocated' last year by Dr. Maktin, Superintendent of Palmcrston Hospital, for the purchase of a supply of radium is being revived. The Hon. It. H. Ehodes, Minister of Hospitals, is to be interviewed on tho matter, and it is also suggested that a Eadium Institute should bo established at Palmerston. Although it cannot be said that radium is an absolute cure - for cancer, remarkable results have been obtained from its use, and some • of the leading medical in the world aro hoping for still greater things in the near future. The supply of radium is, however, very limited, and it ia extremely expensive; but a greater output, and a reduction of eost may soon be expected. What- aro said to bo the greatest radium deposits known to .science .were recently discovered in Paradox Valley, Colorado .(U.S.), and the New . York Independent states that 27 claims of mining land 'in this district have been purchased by two philanthropists for purposes of obtaining radium to bi used for free medical treatment. The- work of extraction will bs carried on in au entirely now way by the National Radium Institute, under the supervision of the Bureau of Mines, which is responsible for the process. The Independent, in referring to the question of radio-activity' in medicine, states that "tkero k no doubt

Have "'here an intensely- active) agent; which affects human tis■'.'s lies', very. powcrfully,.;.and,sometimes ;iit vV produces f- , good effects, r.lliongh.it.has.been'.knqwn, of course, Jo 'very Tserious injury. ; ty ,:.?.%, In Germany., as well • ;is in the Government h.is taken K n hand; in-encouraging observations that.would lead to the , discovery of I'tire exact therapeutic value of tUeso .materials, as , well as the scientific Qualities '-that might bo ; of use for other."than therapeutic purposes." ,-This wonderful substance is receiving much attention both fvom the medical and the, scientific point of view. ' That it is going to play an important part in the treatment of disease, is almost carta-in, and the proposal of the Palmcrston Hospital, .'Board is defterviug of very careful : and sympathetic considera;tion !■■' The collapse of the strike in South Africa is now regarded as imminent. The men are streaming back to work as they consider it is useless to continue the struggle. Their plan of campaign has proved an utter failure, and all the wild talk of revolutionary action has been brought .to naught by the effective measures taken by the Government to main' tain the .supremacy of the State,., The trial of strength has been short, sharp, and decisive. The authorities were certainly right in refusing to enter into any negotiations with men who were defying the law of tho land. The only settlement which tho State could accept without loss of dignity and ptestigo was the uncon- ■ ditional surrender of those who had challenged its authority. It would have been a fatal mistake if the Government had consented to palter or parky with tho Trades Federation or to come to any agreement with a body which was making war on the community. One of the redeeming features of the crisis is the magnificent manner in which the law-abid-ing citizens have backed up the Government, and everything goes to show that the moral effect of this ; practical exhibition of public spirit r has been a very real factor in kcep» * ing the revolutionary movement in check. The recent labour upheaval i in New Zcalaud showed the futility of the general strike and the other weapons of Syndicalism as a means of improving the conditions of the workers, and tins fact has been strongly emphasised by the experience through which South Africa is just now passing. ' In both instances i the community has made it unmistakably clear that when it realises tho danger it is .well able to protect itself from the attempts of any lawless minority to starve or frighten it into snranission. The trouble in South Africa is not yet over, but- latest information plainly indicates, that the back ot the strike has been broken, and that normal ; conditions will soon be restored. The interest which has been ' aroused by Mr. Ball'Our's Gifford Lectures is a striking indication of •■ the tendency of modern philosophic i thought. Me. Baifouh ranges himself alongside Professor Ward, M. Henri Bbroson, Sir Owver Lodge, Professor Euckekt, M. Ejiile Boutroux, and other distinguished thinkers in opposition to tb-e mechanical theory of the universe which "dominated, scientific thought during the latter part of the nineteenth ceritnry. He argues in favour of a theistic interpretation of the universe, and contends that apart from the idea of consciousness evolution would be an unmeaning phrase. In aft article in the Jlibbert Journal in 1911, Hit. Balfour stated' that ''if Naturalism be accepted then our whole apparatus for arriving at truth, all tho beliefs in whidi that truth is cmhod- j ied, reason, instinct, and then , kgi- j timate results, arc the , product of irrational forces. Whence thca their ■ authority ? By introducing creative 1 will behind development Beeg&OK has profoundly modified the whole evolutionary drama." Behgsoji does ; not think the evolution of life* will ever be explained* by mechanical forceSs he contends that there is a vital impulse—a spiritual force. This point of view is vigorously assailed by the mechanical school of scientists and philosophers, and the whole- question is being very keenly ! discussed. Mit. Ji. S. Ijliot recently subjected Berg&on's views to some very severe criticism, in which he 1 , was supported by Sir Ray Lan- ■ KESTER, while Professors Schauperi 1 and Loeb also favour the mcchanis- • tic system of explanation, On , the. other hand the difficulties of modern materialism have been stated in a very impressive manner by Mr. M'Dot'GAU,, o£ Oxford, in his book s entitled Body and Mind, and more recently in an article in Ikdjfjock in reply to Mil. Eliot's criticism. ■ Mr. M'DouGAUi suggests that scientists might with profit make an excursion to the nursery where they ■ may hear propounded by the fresh voice, of .. childhood some, of the old •riddles which the mechanistic theory seems to kave as insoluble- as ever. "Where does space coitto to an end , !" "When did time begin?" "What was there before the -tforld "Why can't I stop thinking ?'' He concludes by stating that the acceptance- of the mechanistic scheme of things would only "make" a little circle of light by pushing back the greater problems into the outer darkness, where, though we may forget them, they nevertheless surround us on every hand." Mr. Bau'our's subject carries him right into tho midst of this great controversy, and he has a wonderful gift of handling ' the most abstruse questions in an interesting way and making them in> tcllisiblc to tho average- man-

The question of whether leniency sbou.d l)o extended people who commit i crimes thrqagh being undw. tlio inilucitce of liquor is ono on which opinions differ. Yesterday a man who was convicted of theft in tho Jlagistrato's Coiirt said that he- would not . luvo stolen had ho boon sober. "I ivil'l take into oonsiA'ration that he wns dniiik." said Mr. J. S. Evans,' S.M., "and will give hiiii the option of a fine. If it had not Iweu for that I would not havo given him tho option." In addition to the long list of cases sot down for hearing at tho Criminal ! Session of tho Supremo Court, wbich ' opens in Wellington on February 2, two i more serious charges have beeii nddctl ' to tho busiiiMft. One is against Bonia I'd Smith, alias Haulsten, and the i otlier is against David Mr-nzies, alias ! Groen. In both iiißtaiicos, offences ! against girls aro alleged. : ' Proccodiiißs will bo taken in tho Wei- ' lington Magistrate's Conrt very shortly j against two men on charges of dynamit- ' ing fish in the South Knrori Bivor. Captain.D. J. Watson is to move at < next mooting of tlio Harbour Board 1 that tho salary of tho deputy-harbour- ' master. Captain Spilling, be increased ' from £400 to £451) per annum, and j that payment at tho rato of 3s. per hour for waiting-time ho tntido to a j pilot who hns tfl wait for a vessel which t w not ready to. loavo at her staling t itOto, ...,,.'v, ■.-.■,-. W:te.-■■»■■■*.». . 1