Evening star., 1937-08-06
CANCER INSTITUTE
PLAN IS PRESSED;
MEASURE SIGNED
Building Designs to Be
Ready as Soon as Money
Is Available.
HEALTH OFFICIALS ACT
TO FORESTALL DELAY
New Structure Is Expected to Be
Located on Wilson Site
Near Bethesda.

Public Health Service authorities to-
day pressed rapidly ahead with plans
Tor erection of a S75O0OO National
Cancer Institute, authorized in legis-
latlon signed yesterday by President
Roosevelt
The bill also authorized an annual
appropriation of 100000 for cancer
research and radium purchases, but
Congress has yet to supply the funds.
DR.. L. R. Thompson, director of the
National Institute Of Health, said es-
Inmates Of appropriation needs for the
balance OF the year are being prepared
and may be ready to submit to the
Treasury today.
Plans for the design of the building
ana the necessary equipment also will
be prepared Immediately, SO work can
De started at once should Congress
make any part Of the appropriation
available at this session,
Although site for the institute has
not been selected definitely, it is ex-
pected the building will be located on
45-acre site near Bethesda, Md,
which was left to the National Insti-
tute OF Health by the late Luke Will
SON. trustee of Woodward & Lothrop.
who was himself 4eancer victim.
Research Primary Object.
Inc primary object of the Cancer
institute Will be research in all phases
OF cancer diagnosis, prevention and
treatment. In addition. grants-in-aid
may be made to workers in other
laboratories.
Cooperation also will be extended
10 othef cancer research organizations.
radlum purchased by the institute will
be loaned to other institutions for re-
search or treatment, and persons will
De framed at the institute in technical
details OF diagnosis and treatment.
1t has been estimated that if radium
and other treatment facilities could be
made available to localities where
there is a scarcity, there would be an
annual saving of some $4,000 lives.
Claiming 100000 lives last year
cancer now stands second only to heart
disease IN number of fatalities. In
1900 the dreaded scourge ranked last
on the list of the 10 diseases with the
highest death rates, indicating the ex-
tent to which it has spread in this
country.
Sponsored by Senator Bone.
The bill for establishment of the in
stltute was largely the work of Sena-
tor Bone of WASHINGTON. In his effort
10 obtain signatures to a petition for
the law he buttonholed his colleagues
at every opportunity He signed up"
virtually every member of the Senate
Judiciary Committee while that group
was holding hearings on the Presi-
dents Supreme Court bill.
The Public Health Service has been
spending about 100000 a year on
cancer research, the work being car
rled on in Washington and in rented
space at Harvard University.
DR.. Carl Voeghtlin, who now heads
the public health cancer research
work, is expected to head the new in
stitute. At present he is in Europe
visiting leading cancer laboratories
there.
The bill authorizes appointment of
a National Cancer Advisory Council of
six members. DR.. Thomas Parran,
surgeon general, will be ex-ofhcio
chairman, and Dr. Thompson is ex-
pected to be another member. Others
will be drawn from the medical pro-
feSsiOn.