FIGHT AGAINST CANCER

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 416, 24 April 1937, Page 6

FIGHT AGAINST CANCER

TWO NEW MACHINES LATEST EQUIPMENT FOR CHRISTCHURCH One Already Working. Christchurch. April 24. Christchurch will possess th? very latest equipment for the treatment of cancer v.'lien the second of the two. deep, therapy X-ray machines to be installed at 'the Public Hospital arrives next mouth,. One of the new machines is already in operation. This announcement was macle' by Dr P. Clennell Fenwick, the Christchurch Hospital cancer expert, who has just returned from attending the eighth Australian cancer confer nee at Canberra. While in Australia, Dr Fenwick made a close investigation into the steps taken for the treatment of cancer, and he said that as a result of what he had seen, and heiard he had come to the conclusion that New Zealand was not behind Australia in the treatment of cancer by radium, but Australia had had the advaritagi© until now of more powerful X-ray machines. “The North Canterbury Hospital Board is now installing two most powerful deep therapy machines and will certainly possess a department, with the most modern equipment for treating the disease;’’ added Dr Fenwick. ‘‘On my return from Australia this morning I was delighted to find that one of the new machines Attas already installed and was working very well. This is the only machine of its kind in Australia or New Zealand at the present time, but it is, gaining great favour in England. The second machine is due next mon h. and then the Christchurch Hospital will be fully equippd not only with radium but with t-he latest developments in X-ray treatment.” Three Dominion Delegates. Referring to th? conference at Can; bsrra, Dr Fenwick explained that, it was attended by 75 specialists from all over Australia, The three delegates from N-.w Zealand were Dr B, F. D’Ath (Dunedin), . himself, as representative <?f the Christchurch Hospital, and Dr W. Craven, representing ihe. Auckland Hospital. The coufereno? devoted itself entiredy to cancer of the skin and lip,' and the results ot 10,000 cases were reviewed and discussed. He .emphasised that the scientific aspect of the conference wa g very marked. In Australia the universities' were now co-operating wPh all the hospitals: in 1 standardising X-ray and radium treatment in a manner similar to the work being done in New Zealand by the Trav/s Research Scholar ( Mr Strong). Great activity in the encouragement- of research into the disease

was noticed in Australia, where the Government had always recognised th--, importance from a nationla! point of view of the treatment of career. In the Commonwealth there had been established a National Health and Medical-- Res arcli Council land approval had been given for a grant of £30.000 for medical research. Apart from the Federal campaign each State- had its own -activities and it was evident that an immune amount of interes-t was being taken in the cancer problem. Paper on City Results. One result of Dr Fenwick's visit v,las that a paper was presented to the .conference dealing with 'the reeultg of cancer treatment in t,] le Christchurch Hospital This was' in response to a request contained in the letter sent to the North Canterbury Hospital Board by -the Federal authorities asking that Dr Fenwick might be given p rmission to attend the confcfrence, and thlrf he would I prepare a paper. ’ Dr Fenwick, in conclusion, Je . | marked that in Australia. Melbourne was leading th., way in radium treat-i ment, but Sydney was to well equip- , Ped With powerful machines 'thit X-' ray treatment was progressing rapid1J in tha. city. The Government gave' -he hospitals very encouragement, I lavishing- money on ‘them. . A-t the cam, r conference an hit. Portant paper read wa.s that of Dr Holmes, the senior medical officer of the Common™ alth Department o f Heal.li. This took -the form of a review of the development in cancer control in Australia durin... the past year. His report disclosed a definite inci' age in .ebneer mortality. An analysis 0f the incre;)se sllowefl lh .‘ r n was confined to the ages above (15 years, while below that age mortality had fallen slightly. All expiation for the mcre-as? in the ol.ier age group was that many deaths formerly certified a s due to senility were now classtfied under the correct hdadinfr of cancel.