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
Finsbury 1909
Report on the public health of Finsbury 1909 including annual report on factories and workshops
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More males died of the disease than females—the bulk of the deaths occurred after 50 years of age. The age, sex distribution of the cases is annexed.
| Ages. | Under 10 years. | 10 and under 20. | 20 and under 30. | 30 and under 40. | 40 and under 50. | 50 and under 60. | 60 and under 70. | 70 and up-wards. | Total. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Females | 1 | — | — | — | 6 | 15 | 12 | 5 | 39 |
| Totals, 1909 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 28 | 29 | 13 | 88 |
| Totals, 1908 | 1 | — | 2 | 5 | 8 | 27 | 30 | 14 | 87 |
| Totals, 1907 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 13 | 19 | 22 | 21 | 86 |
| Totals, 1906 | — | — | 2 | 3 | 12 | 17 | 31 | 19 | 84 |
| Totals, 1905 | 1 | 2 | - | 1 | 11 | 15 | 18 | 17 | 65 |
| Totals, 1904 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 22 | 22 | 12 | 79 |
| Totals, 1903 | — | 1 | 2 | 10 | 13 | 29 | 23 | 14 | 92 |
| Totals, 1902 | — | — | — | 1 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 20 | 72 |
| Totals, 1901 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 14 | 18 | 14 | 13 | 72 |
There is a belief that in recent years cancer has increased.
This is in all probability correct. Cancer is essentially, though
not entirely a disease of degeneration, a disease of mature and
declining years. It is obvious that if this be the case, then, as
by improved sanitation, better housing, the efficient control of
infectious disease, the supervision of the food supply and better
circumstances the years of life are lengthened, so in like measure
will cancer increase.
When a man becomes 45 years he may be said to enter upon
the cancer period of life—before this time cases occur but are
not common—after this age they are comparatively common.