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It is gratifying to note that for both sexes and for all age groups there has been a fall
in 1954. The main contributions on the male side are decreases in cancer of the stomach
and 'other' offset partly by an increase in lung cancer ; on the female side decreases in
cancer of breast and uterus, again offset partially by an increase in cancer of the lung.
These changes no doubt reflect the progress of operative technique. Up to 1953, for
England and Wales, the comparative mortality index for females had fallen to 0.92
(1938=1.00), while the male index had remained at 1.13.
In London, for both sexes combined, the long-term trend of cancer mortality can
be seen from Table 4 (page 220). The increase there shown is due partly to the increasing
age of the population and partly to improved diagnosis, but some part is doubtless
attributable to increased incidence, particularly cancer of the lung. A more detailed
examination of the course of lung cancer in London over the past 25 years is given in
Annendix A (Page 144.)
The death-rate from vascular lesions of the central nervous system in 1954 was
1.20 per 1,000, the same as in 1953. It would appear that the rate, which had steadily
increased from 1.01 in 1948 to 1.27 in 1952, has stabilised at a slightly lower figure than
that of the post-war peak year.
Cerebral
hæmorrhage,
etc.
DEATH RATE IN LONDON (A.C.) 1934-1954
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