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18
Tuberculosis.
This class includes the causes of 117 deaths during the year
under review, with a rate of 1.12; these figures compare with 141,
133 and 127, the totals of the years 1922,1923 and 1924 respectively,
and respective rates of 1.38, 1.30, and 1.21.
Tuberculosis of the Lungs (Consumption) is, as usual, credited
with the major portion of these deaths, there being 104 attributed
to this cause, or a rate of 1.00 per 1,000.
Locally the deaths were 2 in Kidbrooke (giving a Death Rate
of .60), 12 in St. Nicholas, Deptford (giving a Death Rate of 1.53),
48 in East Greenwich (Death Rate 1.07), 13 in Charlton (Death Rate
.63) and 29 in West Greenwich (Death Rate 1.07).
The remaining forms of Tuberculosis were responsible for 13
deaths, 9 of which occurred in East Greenwich, 2 in West Green.
wich, and 2 in Charlton.
Of these other forms of Tuberculosis, Tuberculosis of the
Brain and its membranes were credited with 8 (7 being under five
years of age), Tubercle affecting the Intestines 3, and General Tuber.
culosis, 2.
Parasitic Diseases.—There were no deaths from this class
of disease.
Dietetic Diseases.—There were no deaths from this class of
disease.
Constitutional Diseases.—The deaths from this cause were
158 in number, which gives a rate of 1.51 per 1,000. Of these,
125 were attributed to Cancer, 18 to Diabetes, 12 to Anaemia, and
3 to Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Cancer. This disease as a cause of death has now usurped
the place which was formerly taken by Tuberculosis, and in that
way is now the premier cause of death, having contributed 125
deaths per year, while Tuberculosis in all its forms has contributed
117. The ideal form of death, viz., old age, comes midway
between these two with 120. The deaths from Cancer were
distributed as follows:—56 occurred in East Greenwich, 30 in West
Greenwich, 9 in St. Nicholas, 28 in Charlton, and 2 in Kidbrooke.
Whilst I have no doubt that this increased number of deaths
attributed to Cancer is due in some considerable measure to the
improved diagnosis of such cases, and therefore is not such a great
increase as it would at first sight appear to be, yet on the other
hand I feel confident that there is an undoubted increase in this