On the alleged increase of cancer

Abstract

During the last few years the minds of medical men and of the general public have been exercised over the rapid and striking increase in the mortality from cancer, as shown by the statistics contained in the Registrar-General’s Annual Reports. The following table, taken from these reports, shows how great this increase in registered mortality has been. The registered death-rate of males from this disease was 2·7 times, for females 2·0 times, and for both sexes together 2·2 times, as high in 1891 as in the average for the decade 1851-60.