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These cases were attended to by the Tuberculosis Officer or
his staff, and verbal and written instructions given as to the
necessary precautions to be taken to prevent the spread of the
disease.
Dr. John Sorley attends at the Tuberculosis Dispensary, 180,
High Road, Leyton, on:—
Mondays: 10—12 and 2—4 p.m.
Thursdays: 10—12 and 6—8 p.m.
Close co-operation is maintained between the Tuberculosis
Officer, who is appointed by the Essex County Council, and the
Medical Officer of Health.
BACTERIOLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS.
The arrangements made by the County Council of Essex with
Dr. John Beale, Counties Public Health Laboratory, 91, Queen
Victoria Street, E.C.4, for the examination of specimens sent by
any Authority throughout the County is being continued.
The following specimens were sent:—
Diphtheria, 2,638.
Ringworm, 39.
Sputum, 806.
Widal's test, 10.
Miscellaneous, 9.
CANCER.
There were 160 deaths during the year, giving a death-rate of
1.21 per 1,000 of the population.
As may be seen from the accompanying chart Cancer continues
to become more prevalent and to cause an ever-increasing number
of deaths. In spite of the Cancer Research and other investigations
nothing is definitely known as to the primary cause of
Cancer. Many theories as to various articles of diet and other,
mostly fanciful, explanations have uniformly failed to elucidate the
mystery. Cancer is mostly a disease of middle and advanced age.
And the only known cure is total extirpation by operative measures
in its earliest stage. It therefore behoves everyone, particularly
the middle-aged, to seek medical advice at the earliest possible
moment in case of any growth appearing. Chronic and long
continued irritation is an exciting cause, excessive smoking, a
sharp tooth, etc., in fact, any continuous friction may prove the
starting point of a cancerous growth. The irritation caused by
soot, petrol, paraffin and mineral oils, either directly or through