CANCER MENACE

Grey River Argus, 11 August 1925, Page 6

CANCER MENACE

INCREASE IN NEW ZEALAND. ! The following table shows the numI ber of deaths from cancer and the perI eentage per 10,009 of living persons in | the Dominion during the past ten

REAL OR APPARENT? 1 “It will be seen that the death-rate from cancer per 10,000 of living per- ; sons continues to increase,’’ stated the Director. “This is true in all civilised , countries, but whether there has been a real or only nn apparent increase re- ’ mains to be considered. Cancer is al- . most wholly a disease of middle or late life, and the span of a man’s life \s ;steadily lengthening, particularly in New Zealand —that is to say, he is benag saved from typhoid, tuberculosis, and other diseases to die later of cancer. “Again, in many countries, notably : England, coincident with the rise in the cancer death rate, there has been a decline in the deaths from abdominal '-diseases such as peritonitis, intestinal [ obstruction, tumour, and other badlydefined forms of disease. Some of the ; increase in cancer deaths is due, therefore, to the better diagnostic methods of recent years, and is really apparent more than real. STRICTER INQUIRIES. “Statistical inquiry is steadily increasing and improving also. Registrars make inquiries of medical practitioners regarding obscure death cer- ' titicafes, and many deaths have been assigned to cancer which, in former years, would have been placed under other headings. In spite of cancer, our general death-rate continues to decline, but the disease: 'nevertheless accounts | for one-tenth of our annual deaths | and every available means should be i taken to ensure prompt and skilful treatment.

The nature and causation of most , varieties of this disease are still obI scure, but efficient treatment lies in | early diagnosis and immediate treat- ’ rnent by radium, Rontgen rays, or "operation. The recent discovery of Dr I Dye and Dr Barnard at Home with re'igard to cancer is of the greatest it'terest, and it is to bo hoped that the .results obtained from the information 'hoy have disclosed will materialise.”

1 years: — 1 i 1915 Deaths. 900 Percentag' 8.19 | 1916 909 S 27 J 1917 8.71 1918 936 8.49 1 1919 1031 9.07 1 1920 1029 8.72 I 1921 10-±4 8.53 1922 1006 8.52 1923 1110 8.75 1924 1245 9.59