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24
CANCER
Other Tubercular Diseases.—These caused 62 deaths during the past year, or 8 more
than in 1906. Last year's deaths comprised 25 from tubercular disease of the brain, 2 of the
larynx, 13 of abdominal organs, 6 of other parts, and 16 of "general tuberculosis." The
mortality was at the rate of 0.41 per 1,000 persons, as compared with means of 0.40 for the
quinquennium 1902-06 and 0.60 for that of 1892-96. The rates for last year in the Wards
in comparison with the mean rates for 1902-06 are given in Table 17.
CANCER.
The mortality from the malignant tumours, or growths, included under this general
heading, still continues to increase. In 1891 there were 108 deaths—equal to a mortality of
0.79 per 1,000 persons; in 1901, 148 deaths (mortality, 1.02), and last year 178 deaths—equal
to a rate of 1.19, which last rate is 0.16 in excess of the average for 1902-06 (1.03). In
Queen's Park Ward only was last year's rate below the quinquennial mean (0.66, as compared
with 0.95). Comparing 1906 with 1907, there were 14 more deaths in the whole Borough in
the latter year. Higher numbers were recorded in 1907 in five out of the eight Wards, the
exceptions being Queen's Park (11 deaths in 1907, 13, 1906), Church (31 deaths 1907, 37, 1906),
and Lancaster Gate, East (8 deaths, 1907, 9, 1906).
In the circumjacent districts (Table 11) increased mortality rates were recorded in
Kensington (1.19, mean 0.95) and Marylebone (1.14, mean 1.12). In the remaining districts
the rates for last year were below the respective means, the greatest difference being recorded
in Hampstead (0.75, mean 1.03).
The rates for the Borough, its Wards, and the circumjacent districts, obtained by
correction for variations in the sex-age composition of the populations, are to be found in
Table 18, together with the "standard" rates. Last year's rates were below the standards
in Kensington, Westminster, and Hampstead, and below the quinquennial mean rates in
Westminster, Hampstead, and Willesden. In the Borough the increase in last year's corrected
rate over the mean was 0.14, the largest in the table. The highest rate recorded in any Ward
was that of Maida Vale (1.37), which also shows the largest increase above the mean
(0.34). The lowest rate was that of Queen's Park (0.69), which was 30 per cent. below the
mean (1.00).
"Cancer" being a disease of adult life, the few deaths at ages under 25 may be left out
of consideration in dealing with age incidence. Sex-age mortalities have, therefore, been
calculated for ages exceeding 25 years only. (See below). Among males no deaths were
recorded last year in the groups "25-35" and "85 and upwards." The rates for the other
groups were all in excess of the mean rates for the preceding five years. Among females the
group "25-35" was the only one with no death, the rates for three out of the six remaining
groups were below the means.