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49
It will be seen that the figures for each year are remarkably consistent. It is not, of course,
possible to say whether, or to what extent, the high death rates in the overcrowded groups of districts
may be due to overcrowding per se or to other adverse social conditions with which overcrowding is
usually associated. The consistency of the figures, however, points to the operation of some constant
cause or causes.
It is conceivable that the more overcrowded groups of districts may be less favourably situated
with regard to the age constitution of their populations than those with less overcrowding, but it will be
seen from the following table, relating to the year 1897, showing the death rates in each of these groups
of districts at several age-periods that, speaking generally, the more overcrowded groups have higher
death rates at each age-period than the less overcrowded, and this is especially marked at those ageperiods
which are most susceptible to phthisis.

It will be seen from the table of comparative death rates, in which the death rate at each age-period
of the least overcrowded group of districts is taken as 100, that the death rates at ages 0-5 in some
degree follow the order of overcrowding; with regard to the age-period 5-20 the differences in the
death rates in the several groups of districts are comparatively trifling and no particular order in relation
to overcrowding is observable ; the death rates for the subsequent age-periods, however, follow with
slight exception the order of overcrowding, and the most noteworthy point in connection with the table
is that the increases in the death rates become more marked at each successive age-period. The
accompanying diagram (xix) illustrates this more clearly. The consistency of these figures leads to the
conclusion that the results are not accidental and the reason of the increasing effect of overcrowding or
some associated condition on the phthisis death rates at the later age periods shown in the table, is
certainly a matter which merits further investigation.
Cancer.
The deaths from cancer in the registration County of London in 1897 numbered 3,908, the
corrected annual average for the preceding 10 years being 3,433.

The following table shows the number of deaths from cancer at several age-periods in each of
the sanitary districts of the Administrative County. For the purposes of this table, deaths occurring
in public institutions belonging to London have been distributed to the sanitary area6 in which the
deceased had previously resided. See footnote (1), page 7.
1 See footnote (1) page 7. » Bee footnote (2) page 7.
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