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52
A useful work is undertaken by sanitary authorities generally in London in giving opportunity
for the examination of sputum from suspected cases of pulmonary phthisis. The annual reports relating
to the following districts show the number of specimens examined and the results found. Thus :—

Among the matters mentioned in the annual reports deserving of note are some figures given by
the Medical Officer of Health of Paddington, concerning the average duration of cases of pulmonary
phthisis from the time when the illness was first observed to the date of death. Dr. Dudfield
found that in the case of males this period was 222 months and in the case of females 307 months,
or 25.7 months for both sexes. The averages are based on records relating to 478 cases terminating
fatally.
Cancer.
The deaths from cancer in the Administrative County of London during 1908 (366 days),
numbered 4,628, as compared with 4,487 for the 365 days of 1907.

For the purpose of enabling the incidence of cancer on the several populations of the sanitary
areas to be more precisely stated, factors have been calculated for correcting the death-rates, as far
as possible, for differences in the age and sex constitution of the several populations concerned.
These factors are shown in the following table, together with the death-rates for each sanitary area,
corrected by their application. Owing to the changes of area in the sanitary districts of London
caused by the London Government Act of 1899, the death-rates since 1900 are the only figures
available for comparative purposes, but it can be seen from these figures that differences in
the age and sex constitution of the population are partially responsible for the differences in
the crude death-rates obtaining in the several districts.
Cancer.

(Continued on next page).
1 See footnote (.), page 8. 2 See footnote (2), page 48.