CANCER RISK

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22048, 2 September 1933, Page 2

CANCER RISK

CLERGY “VERY FREE” OCCUPATIONAL RATE A DOCTOR’S ANALYSIS. (From Ouh Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, August 17. The Cancer Research Fellowship of the Melbourne University, in summarising some of the known facts about cancer, shows that clergymen are very tree from the disease, while hotel employees suffer from it more than any other class. A large portion of the current issue of the Medical Journal of Australia is devoted to cancer, and a very interesting article is contributed by Dr Cherry, the Cancer Research Fellow of the University of Melbourne. Dr Cherry has had a theory for some years that there is a distinct relationship between cancer and tuberculosis, and he points out that in England nearly one-fourth of all adults die either of cancer or tuberculosis, and that, as the rate of tuberculosis deaths goes down the rate of cancer deaths goes up, the combined deaths never quite reaching 23 per cent. Dr Cherry says that the increase in cancer deaths is a real one, and is not due to better diagnosis and a longer life. He points out that the highest incidence of “ Cancer and tuberculosis is

among hotel employees (barmen, cellannen, and hostlers). This group has long been recognised as prone to_ tuberculosis because, he states, alcohol in excess always paves the way for that disease. A comparatively small proportion of these men reach the cancer age, yet they show a high cancer rate. It is noted that chimney sweeps and musicians have a high incidence of cancer, while printers, hairdressers, tobacconists, and costermongers still exhibit a high tuberculosis rate. “ The analysis of the census units,” hs writes, “ showed that the actual number of persons dying of each disease interlock in such a way that cancer occurring later in life seems to be almost strictly limited to the leavings of phthsis TJB.” Dr' Cherry reaffirms that native races out of contact with civilisation invariably, have little resistance to tuberculosis, practically every case of infection, proving fatal very rapidly. Evidence, which has been accumulated since the war from all parts of the world goes to show that tuberculosis is diminishing in -most of the progressive countries, but that, with its reduction, there is a great increase in cancer, an increase to which, at present, there is no limit in sight. Clergymen are reputed to be the healthiest people in the civilised world, so it is not sur* prising to find that they show less cancer and less tuberculosis than any other occupation. Almost as healthy are farmer* and farm workmen, who show less cancer than any other occupational class except clergymen. Grocers also show small cancer rate, as. do general storekeepers and carpenters. High on the list ar« brass workers and wharf labourers.