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90
1907]
CONSTITUTIONAL DISEASES.
In this group are included Cancer, Tuberculous Diseases, Rheumatic
Fever, Rheumatism, Rickets, Diabetes, Gout and some other diseases as set
out in table LXIX.
Cancer and other Malignant Diseases.—There were 348 deaths, of
which 177 were those of males, and 171 of females, registered in the Borough
during the year. This number, although 15 less than that registered in 1906,
is 50 above the corrected average of the preceding 16 years, and is equal to an
annual death rate of 10.02 in every 10,000 of our inhabitants.
In the statement that is given below, which shows the deaths since 1891,
it will be perceived that they increased gradually but steadily from that year
to now, subject at times to a certain ebb, but, like the waves of the flood tide
on the seashore, ever advancing. Science has of late years been very busy in
endeavouring to discover some cure or some preventive of what has undoubtedly
become a very serious scourge to our race, but up to now no preventive
nor cure of any recognised value has been discovered.
In Islington, among persons below 25 years of age the rate was only 0.41
per 10,000 of the inhabitants; in the next ten years (25-35) however, it doubled
itself (0.95), while in the succeeding ten years, viz., 35 to 45, it was more than
nine times the rate it was in the preceding 10 years (8.63). In the next period,
45 to 55, the death-rate was more than double that of the preceding one
(19.83), while in the succeeding ten years of age (55 to 65) the mortality rate
was nearly two-and-a-half times as large as that last mentioned, and was 45-37.
Between 65 and 75 the mortality rate was again more than double that of the
preceding age period, so that it amounted to 95.90 per 10,000; and from 75
years old upwards there was a slight diminution, as the rate fell to 81.30 per
10,000. (Vide Table LXV.)
Males and females are almost equally subject to the disease, for it is
found that during the year the death rate among males was 10.72 per 10,000
male inhabitants, and among females 9.39 per 10,000 female inhabitants.
Such a mortality as this naturally causes very great anxiety among thoughtful
persons, whether professional or merely inquirers after truth, and chiefly
because it is not exactly known in what way the disease is propagated, and
when propagated how it may be cured.