TO BUY RADIUM

Taranaki Daily News, 21 September 1940, Page 6

TO BUY RADIUM

TARANAKI DECISION TREATMENT OF CANCER BETTER FACILITIES

Radium. to complete the facilities in the province for treating casfes of j cancer is to be bought by the Taranaki centre of the British Empire Cancfer Campaign Society. The new X-ray apparat.us at the New Plymouth hospital is adequate for all but about 2 per cent. of the cases of cancer treated in Taranaki, but it is considered that the facilities should be completed. At present about 10 cases a year have to be sent to the cities for radium treatment. , The centre has set aside £750 and it is hoped to buy about 10 milligrammes, which it is estimated will be sufficient for the purpose. This small quantity is adequate for treating one case at a time, and it is thought most unlikely that there would be greater demands on its use. Radium for Certain Cases. Actually the effect of radium and X•rays are. the same. Radium, however, is more convenience in certain cases. The big advantage of having radium in Taranaki is that most of the cases requiring radium treatment are either very ill or elderly. In those circumstances the long journey to Wellington or Auckland is something of an ordeal. The society in England Is to be commissioned to make the purchase and cabled advice is to be sought concerning the probable date of delivery in New Zealand. The exact specification of the radium has been left to Dr. A. G. Cooper, New Plymouth, and Dr. P. Allen, who is expected to arrive in New Zealand early in October to assume the position of radiologist at New Plymouth hospital. The reimbursement of the society in part is to be considered at the next meeting of the executive of the centre.