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has been a tendency for this rate to become more stable after
increasing more or less steadily for years, and it is hoped that the
rise in 1953 will not persist.
The previous table gives the age, sex and distribution of this
disease in the fatal cases among ordinary residents which occurred
in 1953, the mental hospital cases being added in brackets.
Compared with recent years, there was a decrease in the number
of deaths from breast cancer in females but a further increase of
lung cases among males. For the second year in succession 30%
of the male deaths from cancer were associated with the lung,
whereas the comparable post-war average for this condition is
24%.
Nationally it has been shown that the increase in deaths
attributed to this cause is a true increase, even allowing for the
ageing population, better diagnosis, etc., and research on the cause
is proceeding. The suspected association with heavy cigarette
smoking is now well known, and pending further evidence personal
restrictive measures are justified. The younger generation would
be wise to consider this unnecessary risk before they become
addicted to what is at the least a foolish and uneconomic habit and
one which most probably contributes to other forms of illhealth.
VIOLENCE.
Excluding 13 deaths among mental hospital inmates, previously
transferable, there was a decrease in deaths from violence
(including suicide) compared with 1952, the death rate being 0.26
per thousand of population compared with 0.34, 0.45 and 0.37
in the last three years and an average of 0.39 both for the interwar
years and for the years since the war.
Deaths on the road increased by one, four deaths being
attributed to this cause. Three of these deaths were in fairly
elderly pedestrians struck by motor cars and one resident was
struck by a motor lorry when in an invalid tricycle.
There were a variety of causes for the remaining 5 accidental
deaths in the District, but all but one of the accidental deaths
among the mental hospital patients were due to fractures following
falls in the very elderly.
The number of deaths attributed to suicide, 11, was 4 more
than last year, but 3 of these were mental hospital patients. The
nett figure is very slightly above the annual average since the war.
TUBERCULOSIS AND PNEUMONIA.
Deaths from tuberculosis and pneumonia are referred to in
later sections of this report.
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