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missed until I had examined the patient. As a matter of fact, I was not
half so clever as I thought myself, or anyhow, I do not think so looking
back on it now. This is a measure of the difficulty there was in diagnosing
cancer of the lungs. Nowadays, with the all-seeing eye of an X-ray, the
diagnosis is reasonably simple.
Obviously, many more cases can be detected and although I have
no doubt that people will hold the view that cancer of the lung is on the
increase, I myself want further facts before I am willing to accept this
point of view.
It is because of this second point of mine that I want everybody to
treat with the utmost reserve hasty conclusions based upon statistical
evidence, because I believe the statistical evidence can be quite misleading.
I am not disparaging the possibility of some wonderful curative drug
being found. Such marvels have been achieved in the last 25 years that it
would not behove anybody to say he did not believe this can be done or
that can be done. I have a feeling, however, that such a wonderful drug
is not just round the corner. This, however, appears to me to be
abundantly proved, cancer never occurs in a healthy organ. It is always
preceded by one disease or another disease and it is my opinion that our
highest hopes can be pinned upon a healthy and a more healthy life. I
am convinced it is the sanitarian, using that word in its widest sense, who
holds out the highest hope for any real relief from this most dreadful
disease.
Heart Disease
Nearly a third of the deaths which occur annually are due to or are
associated with heart disease. There has been a significant increase in
the number of deaths attributed to this and allied causes during the past
50 years and perhaps research which is progressing will confirm or otherwise
that the increased tempo of this modern age is a significant factor
in this increase.
Accidents
The ever-increasing complication of life generally provides more
sources of potential danger to life through accidents at home, at work, at
play, in travel, particularly on roads, and so on.
Successful efforts have been made, particularly in Barking, to minimise
danger on the roads but there is still much to be done in other
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