London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Woolwich 1923
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Woolwich]
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26
CAUSES OF DEATH.
Table No. 12 shews that 175 deaths were due to Cancer,
172 to Pulmonary Tuberculosis, 166 to Heart Disease, 102
to Cerebral Haemorrhage, 93 to Bronchitis, 65 to Pneumonia
and 63 to Congenital Debility. Only 24 deaths were due to
Influenza as compared with 66 last year.
Cancer and Malignant Disease. The deaths ascribed to
Cancer or Malignant Disease each year since 1919 are shown
in Table No. 14.
TABLE No. 14.
| Year. | Males. | Females. | Total. | Rate. | Percentage of Total Deaths. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1919 | 76 | 81 | 157 | 1.15 | 9.35 |
| 1920 | 60 | 95 | 155 | 1.9 | 10.42 |
| 1921 | 76 | 106 | 182 | 1.84 | 11.42 |
| 1922 | 72 | 94 | 166 | 1.20 | 10.36 |
| 1923 | 91 | 84 | 175 | 1.25 | 12.62 |
The incidence of Cancer does not decline. This is not
surprising because we do little or nothing to prevent the
spread of this disease. We do not know how it originates
and until we do so very little preventive work can be carried
out. Until more is known of the factors which give rise to
Cancer there does not appear to be anything which a local
authority can do except to educate the general public to the
fact that the earlier the case is seen by a medical man the
better the chance of recovery. A number of theories have
been put forward—theories as to infection, theories as to
cancer houses and cancer districts, theories connected with
diet, theories as to heredity and theories as to irritation—