MEDICAL CONGRESS

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 24, 29 January 1934, Page 10

MEDICAL CONGRESS

MEETING AT HOBART

TREATMENT OF CANCER

Some general observations on the discussions at the fourth, session of the Australasian Medical Congress, which was held at Hobart from' January 14 to January 21 under the presidency Of Dr. D. H. E. Lines, were given to a "Post" reporter by Dr. J. A. Doctor, of Wellington, on his return by the Maraina from Sydney today; The other New Zealand delegates, Dr. G. Hume, of New Plymouth, Dr. J. Twliigg, and Dr. J. Beaumont, of Wellington, and Professor Carmalt Jones, of Dunedin, will return in about a week. Dr. Doctor said that the leading article in the "Hobart Mercury" of January 15 began as follows:—"This is Doctors' Week in Hobart, and the horizon is clouded not with majors, as in Sydney Smith's instance, but with members of the British Medical Association from all parts of Australasia." Not for thirty-two years had the association met in Hobart, and tho welcome accorded the visitors seemed to have been accumulating at compound interest during the intervening years, Dr. Doctor continued. "Burnio at grey dawn was not an inspiring sight, but we had not been long on our way before a fellow passenger had taken us in hand and evoked a word-perfect picture of Tasmania's early tempestuous history, not forgetting to add the later witty and pithy remarks- of one 'Mother Delancy'," said Dr. Doctor. "From the western shore of the Derwcnt Estuary the city rises, with Mt. Wellington as its .background. An aged priest of Hobart once likened it to a man reclining with his head in tho clouds and his feet in the sea, an excellent antidote for straight materialism and overheated argument. . . "Tho Australian Medical Congress could hardly have had a more fitting setting. Tho university buildings and the nearby Teachers' Institute'were put at its disposal, and the mass entertainments wore hold in both City and Town Halls, a unique combination. "So much had to bo done that each man could only see and hear the work of his own section; but tho general note struck seemed to be a sifting and a reassembling of past knowledge rather than any startling prophecy of what the future of medicine might hold. .'iThe general symposium of cancer and cancer research was from the public point of view the most interesting part of the conference. While tho statistics furnished by Dr. Cunipston, Director-General of Health for the Commonwealth of1 Australia, were not cheering, tho research work undertaken by' men of clear and critical understanding was duly recognised, as was also tho fact that in actual treatment surgery alone did not hold the field, but that the pathologist, tho physicist, the bio-chemist, and the radium and X-ray exports should also decide as to what line of* treatment would give the most lasting results. With early diagnosis the treatment remains' most hopeful. ■ "In other departments the trend of opinion is that many troubles which some years ago surgery alone could help are now ■ amenable to less heroic measures, but tliat when surgery is indicated it should be entirely ndcquate. Tho person Concerned rather than tlip disease diagnosed seems to bo rightly becoming the basis of all treatment. Tho transactions of the congress as a whole will be available within the next two months when a more comprehensive view of the work accomplished will be possible." x Ash from the' enormous bush fires in the country was dropping in the streets of Hobart while the congress was in progress, said Dr.: Doctor. Tho whole place was covered with a blue haze, and lights had to bo used early in the afternoon in public buildings and houses. Travelling through parts of the island was liko traversing tho parched plains in portions of India, and it was only when one sighted a house that the illusion was dispelled.