Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Report on the sanitary condition of the Hackney District for the year 1902
This page requires JavaScript
30
to a death-rate of .86 per 1,000.
Below is given a table of deaths from this disease during the years 1893 to 1902.
Years. | 1893 | 1894 | 1895 | 1896 | 1897 | 189 | 1899 | 1900 | 1901 | 1902 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Deaths from Cancer. | 160 | 157 | 153 | 138 | 164 | 199 | 200 | 190 | 182 | 190 |
Death-rate per 1000. | .60 | .70 | .70 | .64 | .75 | .90 | .87 | .86 | .82 | .85 |
Below is given a table of deaths from this disease during the years 1893 to 1902. | ||||||||||
Years. | 1893 | 1894 | 1895 | 1896 | 1897 | 189 | 1899 | 1900 | 1901 | 1902 |
Deaths from Cancer. | 160 | 157 | 153 | 138 | 164 | 199 | 200 | 190 | 182 | 190 |
Death-rate per 1000. | .60 | .70 | .70 | .64 | .75 | .90 | .87 | .86 | .82 | .85 |
From the above table, it would appear at a first glance, that it
throws some light so far as this Borough is concerned, on the
question whether Cancer is on the increase. That the number
of cases and the mortality-rate has increased since 1893 is quite
clear: but it is not so certain, that the figures prove a real
increase in the prevalence of the disease, it is believed that the increase
is apparent rather than real, and is due to improved diagnosis:
because with the increase of Cancer there is a decrease in the number
of diseases entered under such terms as tumour and other ill-defined
causes. On the other hand it is probable that a part of the increase
is due to better diagnosis, and part to a real increase. But side by
side with the belief that the Cancer is on the increase, comes the reassuring
news, that medical skill is almost within measurable distance
of finding a remedy for this dreadful disease. Already it has been
stated that cases of certain forms of Cancer, have, in a few cases,
been arrested by means of the Bontgen light and Finsen's light. It
is probable that Cancer will become amenable to treatment in some
such form as the above.