H.—3l.

Table showing the Number of Deaths (Persons) from Tubercular Disease registered in each Provincial District of New Zealand during the Year 1905.

Cancer. The deaths from cancer during the year 1905 were 566. There were more deaths of males than of females, the numbers being—males 313, females 253. The rate of mortality per 10,000 living was 651. The apparent increase in deaths from this disease is shown further on, and compared with that of England. It is certain, however, that out of a total of 8,061 deaths from all causes in New Zealand during 1905, 566, or 702 per cent., were caused by cancer. The death-rate from cancer is not so great as that from tubercular diseases, but is nevertheless a most alarming matter, not only on account of the number of deaths, but because of its progressive increase. A decennial table shows that the deaths from cancer per 10,000 persons living rose from 5-5 in 1896 to 71 in 1903, 676 in 1904, and 651 in 1905 ; and that whereas 6-05 out of every 100 deaths were attributable to cancer ten years ago, the proportion had grown to 7-02 last year.

Table showing for each of the Ten Years 1896 to 1905 the Number of Persons registered as having died from Cancer, the Proportion of Deaths from Cancer per 10,000 living, and the Percentage of all Deaths attributed to Cancer.

To exhibit how cancer affects the different parts of the human body in respect of each sex, the experience of five years (1901 to 1905) is shown in a succeeding table.. Of any single organ affected, the stomach is the one most liable to be the seat of cancer among males, while the mouth, lips, tongue, and throat, taking all these organs together, show a large number. Next to the stomach, the liver is with males' the orgiin which is most often attacked, to judge by mortality records, and next in order come the intestines and rectum. Afterwards follow the kidneys, bladder, and urethra. Amongst the females, the organs of generation—ovaries, uterus, and vagina—as a group, show most cases of mortality from cancer ; but, as with the males, the stomach is, of any single organ, the one most affected, the breast, liver, intestines, and rectum following. Females do not contract cancer in the mouth (judging by the returns of deaths), tongue, lips, and throat to nearly the same extent as prevails among males. Whatever may be the cause, the figures are remarkable, being only 65 out of every 100 deaths from cancer among females, against 283 out of every 100 of males dying from the same cause, or, expressed in numbers, 74 deaths of females occurred against 400 of males from cancer in the mouth, &c, in a five years' experience of mortality.

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■ 1 Provincial District. Auckland Taranaki Hawke's Bay ... | Wellington Marlborough ... ; Nelson Westland Canterbury Otago .... Tabes Mesenterica, Tuberoular Peritonitis. ; t i i 6 3 4 10 Tubercular Meningitis, Acute Hydrocephalus. 8 9 4 17 I 2 IS 21 Phthisis. Other Forms o{ Tuberoulosis, Scrofula. Total Deaths from Tuberculosis. 117 16 27 63 7 29 5 101 131 496 19 3 2 13 4 4 2 6 20 78 153 29 34 99 11 37 9 124 182 678 Totals ... j 34 75

Year. Estimated Mean Population. Deaths from Oanoer. Total Deaths from Deaths, all Cancer per 10,000 Causes. , of Living Persons. ! i Percentage of Total Deaths due to Cancer. ! 1896 ... 1897 .. 1898 ... 1899 ... 1900 ... 1901 ... 1902 ... 1903 ... 1904 ... 1905 ... 706,846 721,609 736,260 749,984 763,594 777,968 797,793 820,217 845,022 870,000 I 389 395 471 468 430 515 536 582 571 566 I I I 6,432 6,595 7.244 7,680 7,200 7,634 8,375 8,528 8,087 8,061 i 5-50 5-47 640 6-24 5-63 6-62 6-72 7-10 6'76 6-51 605 5-99 6 50 6-09 597 675 6-40 6-82 7-06 702