CANCER.

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2894, 5 October 1916, Page 6

CANCER.

s (To the Editor.) , "' . . ..' Sir, —From your issue of September 29 I cull the following: "I consider the increase (of cancer) to bo more apparent! than real," said Dr. Valentine, in. speaking further of cancer trouble. "People are most susceptible of cancer" in old age, and as ire are prolonging:.tho lives of our people we are discovering more cases of cancer." , Did these remarks emanate from av less prominent authority than the Chief Health Officer, they might perchance lis allowed to pass unchallenged, but ini tho present instance the public welfare* demands tbat prominence should _be givon to the other side of the question,viz., that all recent go toprove that all over the civilised world: cancer is actually and rapidly on v tho increase. This is particularly so in New Zealand, wbero we have the somewhat alarming state of affairs that at present cancer is the most common! cause of death in adult life. Examination of the returns of tho Government Statistician reveals the fact that for tho last five years cancer has been "responsible for nioro deaths annually than; has tuberculosis. This incidence in tha death rate of these two diseases I cart find equalled in no other part of tho world for so long ft neriod... Let us "look at tho fieures for the cancer deathrato in New Zealand from 1905 to 1914 i

From tho abovo it will bo seen thai; tho cancer death-rato ' has increased from 66.5 per 100,000 of tho populatioa in 1905 to 83' per 100,000 in 1914. Now, sir, I would osk: Is it possible that the average length of lifo of tho people of this country has beea so extended as to mako this the real reason for tho increased death-rato from cancer shown above? lam convinced that this is not the case. On the other hand, experience has taught many surgeons to view with anxiety the increasing number of cases of cancer occurring under tho ago of fifty. Let us now look at figures for other parts'of the world: Comparative Mortality, from cancer in European countries, 18963.910:

age 69.1 74.2 81.0 N.B.—The average cancer death'rate of Switzerland is not the result of an excess in the proportion of . population ages '45 and over. According to the most recent census returns, this proportion was 22.61 per cent, for Switzerland, 22.85 per cent, for Denmark, 21.3G percent, for England and Wales, and 18.89 per cent, for the United States. ."« . The, Stove table and footnote I copy, from N a publication entitled "The Mortality from Cancer Throughout the World" (Hoffman). The author in his preface to this valuable contribution of statistical facts on. the Cancer Problem, states: "The maiu results of the investigation may be summed up in the brief but, extremely suggestive statement that the actual frequency of malignant disease throughout the civilised world has been ascertained to bo much more.of a.menace to the welfare of mankind than has Leon, generally assumed to be the case, and that in contrast to a marked decline in the general death«rate, cancer remains one of the few diseases actually and persistently on the increaso in practically all of the countries and large cities for which trustworthy data are obtainable" In' his interview, Dr. Valintiue proceeds to state that his Department, is preparing a pamphlet for the education of the public on the subject, of cancer. This should be welcomed and studied by all, and if properly prepared should do an enormous amount of good. The education of: the public on the subject of tuberculosis has largely helped to reduce the death rate, from 77.9 per 100,000 of the population to 66.7 during the last ten years. ."What has been done for tuberculosis can without any reasonable doubt be done for cancer, which in its earliest stages is a more curable disease than is consumption. On the subject of education of the public, allow mo to again quote from Hoffman: _ . "The Menace of Public Ignorance and Indifference.I—The1 —The cancer problem is one of the most difficult and perplexing in medicine, surgery, and' statistics. The mortality from cancer is no longer to be considered indifferently, for it constitutes a real menace to all civilised mankind. Irrespective of the reasons why the aggregate mortality from this disease should be so large, amounting, now (1915), in the Continental United States to over 80,000 per annum, it is a,self-evident duty on the part of all familiar with the facts to discuss the subject, with a due restraint in their utterance, but with clearness and fearlessness, so that-the public may be made aware of the dreadful.truth. / It is entirely irrelevant and a wrongful uso of the critical method to charge those who aro convinced that cancer is becoming an increasing menace to civilised peoples with an exaggeration of the situation or with nn undue racitement of the public. No harm is ever likely to come to any person By being unduly alarmed on this account. Tho harm and the dreadful seriousness lie in ignorance and indifference, and in confusion worse confounded by needless controversies over matters which in themselves are nt most and nt best but secondary to the suoremo question as to how malignant disease can be controlled ; how it can be prevented, on the one hand, and how it enn bo successfullrcured, on the other."—l am. nte., W. B.'HERBERT, M.D. Wellington.

■ Elite Total No. per 100,000 Year. ' of deaths, of population.' 1905 ... 566 66.5 1906 ... ■ 623 69.5 1907 ... 674 73.3 : 1908 ... 657 69.5 .. 1909 L. .711 i 73.2 1910 ... 742' 74.4 1911 ... 809 ■•"!).?. ' 1912 - ... 812 78.2 1913 ... 856 80.1 1914 . :.. 904 83..

$$%$%*!&'& I o' '' o ' .-.. o ' Eng. & Wales 80.1 ' 86.7 - 94.0 Scotland 77.1 84.8 99.7 Ireland 68.1 68.5 78.8 Norway 85.7 94.9 96.6 Denmark (cities) 118.9 -129.1 137.7 German Empire 70.8- 77.7 84.2 Holland ■■ 91.1 97.8 103.5 Switzerland ... 127.4 128.3 125.9 Austria ...... 68.9 74.4 78.3 Hungary 30.7 N 39.1 43.6 Italy ' 50.9 55.2 63.3 France (cities), 97.3 92.1 102.7. Combined aver-