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
Greenwich 1964
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Greenwich Borough]
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45
one thing which has been proved to the expert's satisfaction it is
that, given certain conditions, cancer is a curable disease. Another
important circumstance which militates against early diagnosis is
the absence of pain or serious symptom until the disease has
reached a stage at which the benefit of treatment becomes
problematical. The World Health Organisation has estimated
that three-quarters of all cancer deaths could be prevented if
diagnosed early enough. Time is the most important factor and
public education in this field would appear to be well within the
province of local authorities.
Lung Cancer.—Throughout the country in recent years there
has been a tendency for cancer of the lung to increase and the
following table has again been included in order that the trend in
this Borough may be studied:—
DEATHS FROM CANCER OF LUNG
(including Bronchogenic Carcinoma)
| Year | AGE GROUPS | Totals | Grand Total | Rate per 1,000 Pop. | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 and under 45 yrs. | 45 and under 65 yrs. | 65 and under 75 yrs. | 75 and upwards | |||||||||
| M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | |||
| 1954 | — | — | 21 | 3 | 13 | 5 | 5 | — | 39 | 8 | 47 | 0.52 |
| 1955 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 29 | 6 | 35 | 0.39 |
| 1956 | 1 | — | 29 | 3 | 16 | 1 | 8 | — | 54 | 4 | 58 | 0.65 |
| 1957 | 2 | 2 | 24 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 39 | 7 | 46 | 0.52 |
| 1958 | 3 | 1 | 20 | 5 | 9 | — | 4 | 2 | 36 | 8 | 44 | 0.49 |
| 1959 | — | 1 | 25 | 3 | 11 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 43 | 7 | 50 | 0.56 |
| 1960 | 2 | 1 | 25 | 3 | 19 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 53 | 10 | 63 | 0.71 |
| 1961 | — | — | 30 | 1 | 13 | — | 2 | 2 | 45 | 3 | 48 | 0.56 |
| 1962 | 1 | 1 | 22 | 3 | 15 | 4 | 10 | 4 | 48 | 12 | 60 | 0.71 |
| 1963 | 3 | — | 26 | 5 | 15 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 48 | 8 | 56 | 0.67 |
| 10 yr. Average | 1.4 | 0.7 | 23.8 | 3.1 | 12.4 | 1.7 | 5.8 | 1.8 | 43.4 | 7.3 | 50.7 | 0.57 |
| 1964 | 1 | 1 | 22 | 5 | 19 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 49 | 12 | 61 | 0.73 |
From the preceding table it can be seen that the age group
45 to 65 years continues to be the period of greatest mortality, and