A RADIUM BANK.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 35, 24 January 1912, Page 2

A RADIUM BANK.

The question of providing a -stock of radium, or a “Radium Bank,” has heen engaging the attention of the Government of Victoria. The Premier (Mr Murray) when in England recently made some inquiry on the subject ‘ at the Radium Institute in London, and ascertained that at least £IO,OOO worth of radium would he required to establish such an institution in Melbourne. At his request, Dr Featherston, the ex-president of the Victorian branch of the British Medical Association, has made inquiries from the medical staffs of the Melbourne, Alfred, Vincent’s, Women’s and Eye and Ear Hospitals, and has furnished a report on the subject. , The general tenor of this report is to the effect that treatment by radium is at present on trial, and that, so far as is known, its curative power has not been established in any deep-seated disease. Skin diseases has been cured by the treatment, and it was further claimed that mild cases of cancer had been cured. Many of the cases of the above kind exhibited at the late congress in Sydney, where a large radium ..department exists, could have been treated surgically or in other ways. Considering all the circumstances, they would not advise the purchase by the State of any large quantity of radium, but they think it would bo a great advantage to have a,comparatively small quan-, tity, about £IOOO worth, at one or more hospitals, with the object of treating special cases, and also of determining the clinical and spicific value of radium. They consider that any system of loan nr radium bank would bo a very great mistake, and it would be capable of very great and very gi'ave abuse. As the Melbourne 1 Hospital has £SOO worth, and the Alfred £125 worth of radium, it seems improbable in view of the above report, that the Government will take any stops to establish a Radium Bank.