THE RADIUM EFFORT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1983, 13 February 1914, Page 8

THE RADIUM EFFORT.

PALMERSTQN'S APPEAL CIRCULAR BY HOSPITAL BOARD. {By TelstJ-apli.-BjieoW OtirfesDeMent) Palrnerstoii North, February 12 The Hospital, Board yesterday a-fl. proved of tho following circular drafted My the chairman (Mr. J, G. Wilson) tar issue to local bodies and private citizens m tho North Island:—"Hadium as a therapeutic agent is now boyond tho experimental stage. So l'ar as proof rf its benefits go there.- is no reason to doubt that, when fmtW investigations arc made, jt will be found a fro'aus r.f assisting tho surgeon- >« Realms with eases which have liitlicito seemed ],oi«* less, as well r.s. in giving .relief horn the pain. so oi-Um accowpaiiyiiii* the class of disease to,which radium gives tlw greatest iieps of cure or rehtff. within a fow. ■-/ears Iho alvscn-* >;if radium in a Hospital will be a* rar o as the absence of r'.ie- operati-hg iil-k>. Emanations iratn it sro usnd in iko forms—either by direct Jippii' alion or ti.Touglj tho medium cf water. It has already relieve,!. t'io' w.-.rst rases -si' rheumatoid trili'fitis, which is Sβ cw,nioil m New /Scaiaiii. Jn rciyuy skin diseases it.has been shown to tropica-' Clous, end, in- some forms c;i" cancer, to bo of benefit. . Whilst this is the case, there arc only tJio .very minutest qsiaii* tities Of it in private; hands in iWZoaliuid, and no public institution- has yet procured any,. . Suieiy this . .should be temedied .without: fclplay. 'i ho I'aimerstftn Hospital Board is putting forth the ■ proposal at, the. suggestion, ftf their Medical staff that the N'or-th tslnnd ! should be- canvassed,for. money to buitd an. iiistitut-G, {Hircha,so,. a. uuansity of radium, and iniptat an ospert operator with .nurses to ; 'attend rases.,.-It has' boon suggested that' tho proper .place for an institute would be sit a medical: sciiool, but ther* is noiio i& tlio North Island. Besides,, such an. iflstihiEo is : fli.it to train students, but'to treat patients, and, therefore, the proper place ■■ for one is at'a centre tfß.icn caii be f«iched with tlie greatest ea-so ij'\ Uig inhabitants of each, island. lit the rasew tho North ■ Isl'aiid \\-i think tliat falmetston sn;u.W..bo tho' csiisre.' lf : the South MaiiJ i s (iesiro'is of Jiavinß , m>. institute, ijttkef as an anitqsi to it: hospital or et-parately,, mil bo •ample- room for lioih. Dilutes over sites afro-often taken advantago of for (Jcla-y, and wo a,to anxiijiis that tie teproacii that New Zealand ■-should havfe sy long delayed this movement shou.d ho remedied >vith m itVilo delay r.s. possible, . . , Meanwhile, -wo are ?.tl\eitiiig promises of monetary, contrihutioiis to tho .scheme. At least £12,000 v.rlt be required from tho public, bat, surely, our island can'readily provide stch a J s-ujit for such an object," . , ' , ' ' TiiQ .discussion - -which, -follawed tho reading of.the eireular;iiidtcat-ed.i-b(i.t a certain amount- oi-paroeJiianWwas perhaps -unavoidiible,- biit Mr. Wilson, agreed te alter, tlio circular by ; svibstitutitig "iho North Island" instead of Palineretoii, ... . Mr..F. J; Nathan said tltsvt ff,";ev«itunlly, Wellington „ wore chosen, they would regret it, but wouM stiH •corijinHy support tho. inofpmcKt. Tho institute could servo '400 or 50Q ise'ahle, cause- many w-outfl be out-patients. - Mr. Wilson said ;that tiio radium was estimated to cost-'i'CGOO, and tlvfe l-,\i;!d-ing wore than thai. It Was iirr.ip-.isud to devote £600 of the H jspital Day proCdeds to tho fund.