BOGUS RADIUM.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 39, 6 July 1914, Page 6

BOGUS RADIUM.

sriKHKicns nnwiCD itox. In vi»\v of tlu- fact that a large number of drugs, earths and waters, said to' lie radio-active, are licing offered for sale lo the general pub'wVor the treatment of certain discusefi, tl» Medical' Committee of the l.ritish Science '(iuiild recentlv in-n.ituicd an enquiry into Hie. question of radium and its therapeutic Uses. The Tillies hold, that tHc resi/.t indicate, the urgent necessity for'legislation to compel a written guarantee to be given as to the i|'.iantity of radium present in the -irlfctAlice ollVavd fol -ah'. Though indium is largely .u.-cd in cancer ease-, th:ie is yet no de.linile eviilenee th.i! eaneer is permanently curable fo r radiuur. It is only by 'keeping iiinier id).sei vatioii fur at least live years patients who 'ha,ve iheen treated bv railiuu* that a definite decision can 1» cine to its to the. place anul-i.iv.n therapy shall take in tlhie treatment of malignant di.si-ase.'-..

lladiuni in it- - application to is til! Init little ■w.tli'ji-Looil, ami 'imtii more rxiii'i'inn-nt'ii!, palhel'oj'ical and clinical <|i(a have 1.-.-n collected, dogmatic • l.ilenieiiu -s lo it* tberapeutic value ( .;;iiiiiit be made. 11l these cirailinstumTs (if uncertainty tin- pulilic is warned thai there is ;i diinpej' that the claims which iiiivc I>"i-ii iidviineed foT radium as :i <urativc agvnt may lead to frauiiK on the oedulous sirtion of tlie public which may he imposed upon 'by tllie -ale ot substance- it waters in which radium does not exist, or limy he barmfullv treated bv p/.'.r.-uns with 110 medical c|Ualilirations. The inclusion of radium in the Phar-ii»a<-opocia would be of material benefit to the public, ami it is proposed to taike the steps necessary to secure this end. It has also I.,'jimi MVjjcested that radium should be silked n led as a poison under the Koodr and Drugs Act, whiuh would lie an additional safeguard against the victimisation of the public.