CAUSES OF CANCER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3022, 13 April 1926, Page 1

CAUSES OF CANCER.

TOBACCO, ALCOHOL AND HOT TEA. Some evidence tiiat smoking and drinking alcoholic liquor may be predisposing causes oi' cancer in certain cites in the body is given Mu a report published by the Medical Research Council —“An ’investigation into the Statistics of Cancer in Different Trades and Professions” (states the “Daily Mail.”) The inquiry was carried out by Dr. Matthew Young and Mr. IV. T. Russell, working in collaboration with Dr. John Brownlee (director of statistics of the Medical Research Council) and Dr. E L. Collis. They examined the records of more than 46,000 cases of death from cancer in 160 different occupations, and claim that this is “a survey of the relation of cancer to occupation with a detail beyond any hitherto attempted.”

The group of open-air workers, including agricultural labourers, and rail way men, was found well in the front in excess of cancer of the lip. Among these, cancer of the lip is 200 to 300 per cent, in excess of what might be expected. In the next degree, having about 60 to 100 per cent, in excess of the normal amount of lip cancer, are masons, labourers in general, farmers, and graziers. These openair workers have in common unrestricted opportunities of indulging in smoking, and the probability exists that 12 or 14 years ago cheap clay pipes were favoured. Goalminers working below ground where smoking is prohibited contrast with colliery workers above ground in not suffering any excess of lip ean-

It is pointed out that the mortality from cancer of the lip is 13 times and of the tongue 11 times more among men than among wo-

Alcohol appears as a predisposing cause of cancer of the tongue and the aesophagis (gullet). Among the groups in which cancer of this part is in excess of the average are brewers, porters, dock and wharf labourers, costermongers, hawkers, and butchers, “who are supposed to consume an excessive amount of alcohol.” But excess of cancer of the tongue is also found among slaters, tilers, cutlers, printers, and plumbers; and it is said that the habit of drinking very hot tea, boiled over a fire for the midday meal, may furnish an explanation. Among men who have an excessive amount of cancer of the gullet are those engaged in the liquor trade, brewers, publicans, inn and hotel keepers, beer bottlers, and cellannent, as well as commercial travellers, coachmen, and cabmen, horsekeepers and grooms, and other* who are supposed to consume an excessive amount of alcohol. There would appear to be very suggestive, if not practically conclusive, evidence that excessive consumption! of alcohol predisposes to cancer of the oesophagus.