CURES RY BADIUM

Hokitika Guardian, 25 March 1920, Page 1

CURES RY BADIUM

A UCKLANDER’S INVESTIGATIONS.

Interesting observations upon the extension of the use of radium and Xrays in experimental and curative work in Britain were made to an Auckland “Herald” representatiee hv a. wellknown Auckland medical man, who has just returned from a trip abroad . While in England he made special investigations in connection with the cancer research work being conducted at Middlesex Hospital. This work had been liberally aided by a Government loan of five grammes of radium, a larger quantity than lias ever before been available for such a purpose, and of an approximate value of £IOO,OOO. Several highly interesting and important discoveries had been made in regard to the immunising of animals from cancer, stated the doctor. It had been found that a brief daily exposure to X-rays immunised them against inoculation, also that if the growth of cancer before inoculation was submitted to radiation it withered and disappeared. These discoveries were regard ed by the medical professon as highly important in the study of the treatment of the scourge of cancer. The percentage of.cancer cures by radium treatment was not as yet very great, the very limited supply of radium hitherto available having hampered investigations on a wider scale now possible. Cases operable were still being treated surgically, and cases inoperable by radium. Better results were now being obtained from the extension of the use of radium and X-rays m cases of cancer and other diseases, however, and the result of work being done at Middlesex Hospital was being watched with intense interest by the medical fraternity throughout the world. The use of radium, continued the doctor ,was gradually being extended to the treatment of a wide variety of diseases hitherto treated by X-rays, such as goitre, skin diseases and tubercular trouble. It was also being used to a certain extent in the treatment of certain conditions following wounds and war injuries, particularly m ewes o stiffness, resulting from the matting o tissues, movement being restored w w ail massage and other treatment had fai New methods of filtration of radium nvs had also been carefully studied, Sli the result that the harmful rays which in the past had * ed serious injury to ijmse be g bad now been largely eliminated.