The Daily News. MONDAY, JUNE 15, 1914. TREATMENT OF CANCER.
In spite of all that modern science has done in its efforts to secure a cure ior cancer, that terrible scourge still levies a heavy toll on suffering humanity. The most that can be claimed is that some remarkable results have been obtained from radium treatment. According to a' recent cable, the Radium Institute's re-, port for 1913 stated that no cases had been actually cured, but that 56 had apparently been cured, and I3S improved. Surgeons still hold that an operation is preferable where it can be carried out, and that only in the early stages of the disease can an operation be entirely successful. It was earnestly hoped that radium would have proved a success, and possibly it may in the future, but as yet there has not been sufficient time for that research work in connection with this remedy to be carried out, or for the results of the treatment to be gauged by the test of time. It is, however, encouraging to find that the curative effect of radium is, up to a point, accepted as a distinct move in the right direction, and that there is good reason to hope that it will in some form or other eventually triumph. The disease is one that is difficult to trace in its early stages, and is frequently extremely difficult to reach for the purpose of treatment. At present none of the surgeons attached to the cancer hospitals will go so far as to speak of radium as a certain cure, yet they recognise that it has done wonders, though it remains to be seen whether the apparent cures will be permanent. As a secondary form of treatment in unoperative cases radium already has proved of the greatest service, cases which were regarded as hopeless so far as operations were concerned have been reduced to such an extent tfhat the surgeons have been able to remove the cancers. It is in the realm of research work that the greatest hope of the success of radium must be looked for. Already it has been found that the light and dark radiations have vastly different effects, but there is still a vast field for the scientists before complete success is achieved. The main obstacle to rapid progress is the scarcity of radium which does not seem to keep pace with the demand. The only sources of supply are in Cornwall and Austria. There must 'be other places where the ore can be found, but as yet they have not been discovered, though there is a report of the ore existing in Colorado. Enormous as is the price of radium, there lacks no shortage of funds for its purchase if only it can be procured. The accident of a moment may open up an adequate supply, and it is certain that every addition to the present supply would be welcomed most heartily, for when suffering humanity is concerned there, is always rejoicing over the provision of a remedy, and in nothing is this more exemplified than in relation to the cure of cancer.
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Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 21, 15 June 1914, Page 4
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523The Daily News. MONDAY, JUNE 15, 1914. TREATMENT OF CANCER. Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 21, 15 June 1914, Page 4
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