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63
Report of Medical Officer of Health.]
CANCER.
The deaths tabulated as due to "cancer or malignant disease" include all deaths due to
carcinoma, sarcoma, epithelioma, rodent ulcer, malignant disease, cancer, &c. The total number of
such deaths during 1900 was 129, being 10 in excess of the decennial average (119). The deaths
of residents of North Paddington numbered 104, 16 in excess of the average, and those of South
Paddington, 25, 7 less than the average. The death-rates for last year per 1,000 persons at all
ages were, Paddington 0.99, St. Mary 1.07, and St. John 0.75, compared with mean rates of 0.92,
0.89, and 0.98 respectively (see Tables 20 and 20a. pp. 42 and 43).
In the Metropolis 4,251 deaths were registered from "cancer," being 451 in excess of the
average, and equivalent to a rate of 0.92 per 1,000 persons at all ages. The deaths recorded in the
Metropolis last year compared with the decennial annual average were equivalent to an increase of
12 per cent., compared with one of 8 per cent. in the Parish.
The Registrar-General does not tabulate the deaths from cancer in the individual districts of
the Metropolis, but the rates for 1897-99 have been kindly furnished by the Medical Officer of
Health of the County. From his return the appended statement of the cancer mortalities in the
adjacent districts given below has been compiled:—

The parts of the body (presumably) primarily affected by the disease are indicated in Table
31, the number of deaths from the chief forms of the disease in each sex being distinguished.
In Table 32 last year's figures for "cancer" are compared with the averages based on the
returns of the preceding 9 years for the two Sub-Districts, the parts affected not being distinguished
so minutely.
Increase in Prevalence.—At the close of the century it may not be out of place to very
briefly deal with the question of the increase in the mortality from "cancer." As has already been
mentioned, the number of deaths last year recorded in the Parish represents an increase of 8 per
cent, above the decennial annual average, after correcting the latter for the increase in population.
In St. Mary the increase last year was equal to 18 per cent, over the decennial average, while in
* These rates require to be received with some reservation, owing to the long interval since the census of 1891,
and owing to there being no correction for sex-age constitution of the various populations.
+ The Departmental rates for Paddington were 1897,90; 1898,90; 1899, 118.