CORRESPONDENCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1197, 17 January 1914, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

(To the Editor.)

Dear Sir, —No one regretted more than I did the determination to “wait and see’’ when Dr, Martin first' suggested we should try and procure a supply of radium for the hospital. 1 therefore welcome his determination to again place the matter before-the Board. A paper which I read at the Hospital Board Conference some three years ago ou the subject (the informatiou contained in it was supplied bv Dr. Martin), was received almost without comment. Since then all have watched with the utmost interest the experiments which have beeu conducted in every country in Europe with radium, there can be now no doubt of its value in treating disease. I believe the the Board will second auy effort Dr. Martin makes most cordially. His suggestion that the institute should be in Palmerston North is based on the principle of the greatest good for ..the greatest number. Dines of railways meet iu Palmetstou North from (1) New Plymouth aud Wanganui, (2) Auckland, (3) Hawke’s Bay, (4) Wairarapa, (5) Wellington. This centre can be reached in a few hours from all these districts. It will be an institute for the North Island, aud we can therefore appeal to the whole Island for assistance. Would it not be better to ask for from the public, and this would give with Government subsidy ,£22,000 for building and apparatus besides the raidum. X-rays too have now become of most valuable assistance to surgeons. In its initial stages it was of no great public benefit, but time has shown that it is of the utmost benefit iu diagnosis. Why “spoil the ship for a ha’penny worth of tar.” Surely pur Island could find ;£ 10,000 easily for such a purpose. I do not.doubt for a moment that we couid raise the full sum. When the subject was mooted before, I received two most pathetic letters asking me when the writers could come for treatment. Alas I had to reply that the project was off for the present. We are spending a big sum of money on our hospital to meet the requirements of the district, and we have to thank a generous public for their assistance, but I feel sure that the public will welcome an opportunity to subscribe further for such an object. Yours etc. —

Jamks G. Whson, Chairman Hospital Board