THE NEW CORONER FOR THE CITY OF LONDON.
1
1843 Committee said that if they built four-roomed cottages on the land they would cost between E400 and 9600 for land alone, which would mean "a terrible loss to the borough and if they built four-storeyed tenements there would be a very costly chief rent on each, and he thought that they should try to obtain the sanction of the Local Government Board for leave to sell the land for other purposes. It was objected that in this case over 500 houses had been pulled down and only 61 built to replace them, but in the end the motion was carried that the Local Government Board should be asked to relieve them from the obligation to build on the site of the demolished houses. It is becoming more and more evident that the costly land in large towns cannot be used for workmen’s cottages, nor is it desirable on the score of public health that an over- crowded insanitary area should be again overcrowded, the only difference being that in the latter case the tenements are new. Cheap and convenient modes of transit to an outer zone may turn out to be the best solution of the difficulty. THE NEW CORONER FOR THE CITY OF LONDON. ON Thursday, June 20th, a meeting of the Court of Common Council was held to elect a coroner in the room of Mr. S. F. Langham who has retired. Out of 18 candidates three had been selected, all of whom were medical men and, in addition, barristers. Their names were: Dr. Major Greenwood; Dr. H. R. Oswald, deputy coroner for the western division of London; and Dr. F. J. Waldo, medical officer of health of St. George-the-Martyr, South- wark, and also to the honourable societies of the Inner and Middle Temples. Dr. Greenwood received 23 votes, Dr. Oswald 52, and Dr. Waldo 96. The Lord Mayor therefore declared Dr. Waldo to be elected coroner. Our views upon the desirability of a coroner being a medical man need no recapitulation here, but we are glad to see that all three selected candidates were medical men. We offer our sym- pathy to the unsuccessful candidates and our congratula- tions to Dr. Waldo. He has done such good work in his capacity of medical officer of health of the parish of St. George-the-Martyr that we feel sure that the City has secured an officer in whose hands the honour both of the ancient City and of the ancient office will be absolutely safe. THE INCREASING PREVALENCE OF CANCER IN THE UNITED STATES. DR. IBYINS PHILLIPS LTON, pathologist to the University of Buffalo, contributes an interesting and somewhat I exhaustive study to the June number of the American Journal oj the Medical Sciences dealing with the increasing prevalence of cancer in the United States, and particularly in the town of Buffalo. A paper by Dr. G. B. Massey on the former subject has been referred to in these columns already.l The study of the cancer distribution in Buffalo for the period 1880 to 1899 leads Dr. Lyon to favour the parasitic origin of cancer and to regard it as associated with certain localities, races, and modes of life. Next to direct histological and bacteriological investigation a promising field of research lies, says Dr. Lyon, in the statistical study of the disease in relation to race, social conditions, and natural environment. On a large-scale map of Buffalo all cases of deaths from cancer (2005 in all) were marked out by coloured dots. It quickly appeared that while certain parts of the town showed a scarcity other parts showed a concen- tration of such U dots" of mortality. " A remarkable con- centration is shown in the wards inhabited largely by foreigners, and particularly by Germans." Comparing these facts with the density of the population in order to avoid 1 THE LANCET, March 10th, 1900, p. 717. fallacy, it appeared that nearly every ward in the region showing a concentration of deaths represented a real and not merely an apparent concentration of cancer." The figures for the period of 19 years (1880 to 1899) showed that German wards with a mean population of 104,753 had 888 cases of death from cancer, while those inhabited largely by native-born Americans with a population of 109,5Z7 had 450 cases. The German " wards include Poles, as the latter came from German Poland and it was found impossible to separate the two races. On the other hand, the Italian quarters, though densely populated, showed a low ratio of cancer mortality. The highest cancer-ratio prevailed among the Irish population-viz., 6’40 times that of the native Americans; then came Germans and Poles, whose ratio was 4’81, while among the Italians it was the lowest of all foreigners-viz., 1’93. In the native-born Americans the male cases of cancer were to the female cases as 50 or 60 to 100. Among the German inhabitants, however, the sexes were affected in nearly equal proportions-viz., 93 males to 100 females, and this applied not only to Buffalo but to the whole of the United States. The Germans and Poles also stood out in contrast with the native-born population, and probably also in contrast with other foreigners, in showing a remarkably high rate of death from cancer of the stomach and liver-viz., 43’8 per cent. of all cancer cases, as against 21 per cent. for the natives. Conversely, a low rate of cancer of the uterus and breast prevailed among German women-viz., 344 per cent,, as against 61’6 per cent. for females born in the United States. " The lower rate of cancer of the uterus and breast in German than in American women seems," says Dr. Lyon, "to be a weighty argument against the embryonic theory [of cancer], as it is well known that the birth-rate and habit of nursing at the breast are greater among the Germans than the native-born, and therefore, if the embryonic theory were correct, cancer ought to be more frequent in these organs in Germans, because of their relatively greater use and exhaustion. The reverse is shown to be the fact." From a consideration of habits, food, and social environment Dr. Lyon favours the view of infection, mainly from bad food, as a favouring cause of cancer, as upheld by the observations of Behla.2 THE DEGRADATION OF THE POST OFFICE. WE should like to ask His Majesty’s Postmaster-General whether something cannot be done to stop the flood of objectionable circulars which are daily and hourly distri- buted to His Majesty’s faithful subjects by means of the department over which he presides. There are the delectable circulars of Mr. Charles Carrington, the swindling notices sent out by Tanqueray, the allurements of money-lenders, and the filthy little books sent out by the blackguard who calls himself Dr. Bell-to say nothing of numerous others. These, however, are sent in closed envelopes and so they may possibly not be recognisable. But there can be no excuse for the distribution of circulars advertising the virtues of various proprietary medicines which mostly emanate from America. Only recently a correspondent sent us a post-card which had been dropped into his letter-box. on which was inscribed a puff of a preparation said to be an absolute cure for painful menstruation, and now several correspondents have forwarded to us the wrappers of circulars dealing with certain pathological conditions and drugs for the same, the said circulars being emblazoned in large letters, 11 Constipa- tion Number." This sort of thing should be stopped and the Postmaster-General could easily do it if he liked. It is ridiculous to say that officials have not time to investigate. They have time to examine letters and to surcharge them for trivial breaches of the regulations. Only the other day we 2 Zeitschrift für Hygiene und Infektionskrankheiten, 1899.
Transcript of THE NEW CORONER FOR THE CITY OF LONDON.
1843
Committee said that if they built four-roomed cottages onthe land they would cost between E400 and 9600 for landalone, which would mean "a terrible loss to the boroughand if they built four-storeyed tenements there would
be a very costly chief rent on each, and he thought thatthey should try to obtain the sanction of the Local
Government Board for leave to sell the land for other
purposes. It was objected that in this case over 500 houseshad been pulled down and only 61 built to replace them,but in the end the motion was carried that the Local
Government Board should be asked to relieve them from the
obligation to build on the site of the demolished houses. It
is becoming more and more evident that the costly landin large towns cannot be used for workmen’s cottages, noris it desirable on the score of public health that an over-crowded insanitary area should be again overcrowded, theonly difference being that in the latter case the tenementsare new. Cheap and convenient modes of transit to an outerzone may turn out to be the best solution of the difficulty.
THE NEW CORONER FOR THE CITY OFLONDON.
ON Thursday, June 20th, a meeting of the Court ofCommon Council was held to elect a coroner in the room ofMr. S. F. Langham who has retired. Out of 18 candidatesthree had been selected, all of whom were medical men and,in addition, barristers. Their names were: Dr. MajorGreenwood; Dr. H. R. Oswald, deputy coroner for thewestern division of London; and Dr. F. J. Waldo,medical officer of health of St. George-the-Martyr, South-wark, and also to the honourable societies of the Innerand Middle Temples. Dr. Greenwood received 23 votes, Dr.Oswald 52, and Dr. Waldo 96. The Lord Mayor thereforedeclared Dr. Waldo to be elected coroner. Our views uponthe desirability of a coroner being a medical man need norecapitulation here, but we are glad to see that all threeselected candidates were medical men. We offer our sym-pathy to the unsuccessful candidates and our congratula-tions to Dr. Waldo. He has done such good work in hiscapacity of medical officer of health of the parish of St.
George-the-Martyr that we feel sure that the City hassecured an officer in whose hands the honour both of theancient City and of the ancient office will be absolutely safe.
THE INCREASING PREVALENCE OF CANCER INTHE UNITED STATES.
DR. IBYINS PHILLIPS LTON, pathologist to the Universityof Buffalo, contributes an interesting and somewhat Iexhaustive study to the June number of the AmericanJournal oj the Medical Sciences dealing with the increasingprevalence of cancer in the United States, and particularlyin the town of Buffalo. A paper by Dr. G. B. Massey onthe former subject has been referred to in these columnsalready.l The study of the cancer distribution in Buffalofor the period 1880 to 1899 leads Dr. Lyon to favour theparasitic origin of cancer and to regard it as associated withcertain localities, races, and modes of life. Next to direct
histological and bacteriological investigation a promisingfield of research lies, says Dr. Lyon, in the statistical studyof the disease in relation to race, social conditions, and naturalenvironment. On a large-scale map of Buffalo all casesof deaths from cancer (2005 in all) were marked out bycoloured dots. It quickly appeared that while certain partsof the town showed a scarcity other parts showed a concen-tration of such U dots" of mortality. " A remarkable con-centration is shown in the wards inhabited largely byforeigners, and particularly by Germans." Comparing thesefacts with the density of the population in order to avoid
1 THE LANCET, March 10th, 1900, p. 717.
fallacy, it appeared that nearly every ward in the regionshowing a concentration of deaths represented a real andnot merely an apparent concentration of cancer." The
figures for the period of 19 years (1880 to 1899) showed thatGerman wards with a mean population of 104,753 had 888cases of death from cancer, while those inhabited largelyby native-born Americans with a population of 109,5Z7had 450 cases. The German " wards include Poles, as
the latter came from German Poland and it was found
impossible to separate the two races. On the other hand,the Italian quarters, though densely populated, showed a lowratio of cancer mortality. The highest cancer-ratio prevailedamong the Irish population-viz., 6’40 times that of the
native Americans; then came Germans and Poles, whoseratio was 4’81, while among the Italians it was the lowestof all foreigners-viz., 1’93. In the native-born Americans
the male cases of cancer were to the female cases as 50 or60 to 100. Among the German inhabitants, however, thesexes were affected in nearly equal proportions-viz., 93males to 100 females, and this applied not only to Buffalo butto the whole of the United States. The Germans and Polesalso stood out in contrast with the native-born population, andprobably also in contrast with other foreigners, in showing aremarkably high rate of death from cancer of the stomach andliver-viz., 43’8 per cent. of all cancer cases, as against 21 percent. for the natives. Conversely, a low rate of cancer of theuterus and breast prevailed among German women-viz., 344per cent,, as against 61’6 per cent. for females born in theUnited States. " The lower rate of cancer of the uterus and
breast in German than in American women seems," says Dr.Lyon, "to be a weighty argument against the embryonictheory [of cancer], as it is well known that the birth-rateand habit of nursing at the breast are greater among theGermans than the native-born, and therefore, if the
embryonic theory were correct, cancer ought to be morefrequent in these organs in Germans, because of their
relatively greater use and exhaustion. The reverse is shownto be the fact." From a consideration of habits, food, andsocial environment Dr. Lyon favours the view of infection,mainly from bad food, as a favouring cause of cancer, asupheld by the observations of Behla.2
THE DEGRADATION OF THE POST OFFICE.
WE should like to ask His Majesty’s Postmaster-Generalwhether something cannot be done to stop the flood of
objectionable circulars which are daily and hourly distri-buted to His Majesty’s faithful subjects by means of thedepartment over which he presides. There are the delectablecirculars of Mr. Charles Carrington, the swindling noticessent out by Tanqueray, the allurements of money-lenders,and the filthy little books sent out by the blackguard whocalls himself Dr. Bell-to say nothing of numerous others.These, however, are sent in closed envelopes and so they maypossibly not be recognisable. But there can be no excuse forthe distribution of circulars advertising the virtues of variousproprietary medicines which mostly emanate from America.Only recently a correspondent sent us a post-card which hadbeen dropped into his letter-box. on which was inscribeda puff of a preparation said to be an absolute cure for
painful menstruation, and now several correspondents haveforwarded to us the wrappers of circulars dealing withcertain pathological conditions and drugs for the same, thesaid circulars being emblazoned in large letters, 11 Constipa-tion Number." This sort of thing should be stopped and thePostmaster-General could easily do it if he liked. It isridiculous to say that officials have not time to investigate.They have time to examine letters and to surcharge them fortrivial breaches of the regulations. Only the other day we
2 Zeitschrift für Hygiene und Infektionskrankheiten, 1899.
