London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Kensington 1909
Annual report of the Medical Officer of Health 1909
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29
The death-rate from cancer was 1.13 per 1,000, and showed no relationship to social status, as
will be seen from the following table in which the mortality in North Kensington is represented
both for cancer and for all causes of death by the figure 100. In the second line of the table will
be found the corresponding comparative figures for South Kensington.
Mortality from Cancer.
| Deaths from | All Causes | Cancer. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Kensington | 100 | 100 | |
| South Kensington | 61 | 141 | |
In the wealthier district the deaths from all causes were 40 per cent. fewer and the deaths from
cancer were 40 per cent. more numerous than in the poorer district of North Kensington. Cancer
is a disease of late middle life and old age, and causes many more deaths among women than men.
In the absence of knowledge of the age and sex distribution of the population in the districts
compared, no deduction can be made from this table except that poverty plainly does not predispose
to malignant disease. The opposite inference that the wealthy are especially liable is not justified,
and is probably contrary to the facts.