RAVAGES OF CANCER

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 23, 27 January 1923, Page 12

RAVAGES OF CANCER

RATE OF MORTALITY INCREASING

An. exhaustive report on the ravages.of cancer throughout the world has been submitted to ths Academy of Medicine by Professor Tuffier. The most notable fact emerging, from his report, is that, despite recent efforts in practically all civilised countries to combat this fatal disease, its rate of mortality continues steadily to increase by something like 2 per cent, every year. Professor Tuffier's paper is based partly on personal researches and partly on figures supplied by an American statistician, Mr. Hoffman. It is found that the mortality rate from cancer among 2,124,000,000 human beings is 71 per 100,000.. Cancer is killing half a million people a year. In the United States the cancer death rate is 73 par 100,000 inhabitants, and about 80,000 Americans fell victims to it in 1915. .The great majority of the fatal cases occur between the ages of 45 and 50, and it is observed that there are some 24 per cent, more cases among women than among men. From 1906 to 1910 England had the highest cancer death rate, which averaged 94 per 100,000, while Holland had 93. Next came the United States with 76, France with 73,. and Spain with 44. Tho disease attacks the while and black, racec alike, although it ie more frequent among the whites. A curious fact which no observero can explain is t.aat the Red Indians of North America- are practically iaimune from cancer.. Among tho Japanos3 cancer of tho breast is almost unknown, and it has been observed that this applies to the Japan*, o'in whatever climate" they may ba settled. It appears that cancer is increasing more rapidly in France than anywhere else, the rate of increase being 10 per 100,000, while in England it is 3, and in the Jnifced States 6.' *Ai close* inquiry .into ths effect of envivon'mont dn the lroquen'cy 6i' cancer has yielded negligible results. _