CANCER.

Next to phthisis, cancer is the most deadly of the constitutional diseases, and in 1900 was the cause of the death of 2,596 persons, or at the rate of 5.76 per 10,000 living. In the table below are shown the number of deaths and the death-rates in each State since 1870 :

It will be observed that with some slight irregularity the death-rate from cancer has steadily risen in Australasia over the whole period covered by the table, the largest increases being shown by Victoria and New Zealand. For the first half of the period Tasmania had the highest rate, but so rapid has been the progress of the disease in Victoria and New Zealand that the rates in both are now higher than that of Tasmania. With the exception of the period from 1881 to 1890, Western Australia has always shown the lowest rates.

Although part of the increase may arise from the fact that more skilful diagnosis in recent years enables cancer to be ascribed as the cause of death in obscure malignant diseases more often than was formerly the case, yet after making due allowance on this score, the conclusion must inevitably be arrived at that the spread of the disease is a dread reality.

DEVELOPMENTAL DISEASES.

loaths from developmental diseases in 1900 were 5,222 or 11:57 ersons living, and of these deaths, 2,557, or 5.67 per 10,000

iving, were ascribed to the vague cause, old age.

Premature birth was

set down as the cause of death of 1,716 infants, a mortality equal to 14-09 per thousand children born alive, or 1 in every 70.

LOCAL DISEASES.

Local diseases in 1900 were the cause of 24,857 deaths, and averaged 55-11 per 10,000 living. This group comprises diseases of the various systems and special organs of the body, the principal being diseases of the nervous system and of the circulatory system, which are further considered below. Under this heading also are classified diseases of the respiratory system, which caused 5,565 deaths, equal to 12:34 per 10,000; of the digestive system, responsible for 5,916 deaths, or 13·12 per 10,000; and of the urinary system, the deaths from which numbered 2,124, equal to a rate of 4.71 per 10,000.

DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM.

It has been asserted that coincident with the advance of civilisation there has been an increase in diseases of the nerves and brain, but from the figures in the following table showing for each State the number of deaths, and the death-rates, since 1870, it will be seen that such has not been the case. Moreover, it has been ascertained that deaths from apoplexy and convulsions in proportion to population are now less frequent than formerly. In 1900 the total deaths from diseases of the nerves and brain numbered 5,223, or at the rate of 11:58 per 10,000 living.

A study of the table shows that the death-rate for diseases of the nervous system in Australasia has decreased by considerably more than one-third during the last twenty-five years, representing a gain of nearly 7 persons to the population in every 10,000 living. Amongst the various States the rates are now fairly even, only ranging from 10.29 in Western Australia to 13.80 in Tasmania. Until the last period the rate had been consistently lower in New Zealand than in any other State, while, since 1875, Tasmania has always had the highest rate.

DISEASES OF THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM.

Diseases of the heart, which now command more attention than previously on account of their more frequent occurrence, and also on account of the better knowledge of the organ which now exists, were responsible in 1900 for 5,141 deaths, or 11-40 per 10,000 living. The following table shows the number of deaths and the death-rates in each State since 1870

It will be seen that deaths from the diseases of the organs of circulation have steadily and rapidly increased during the last twenty-five years. It is questionable whether the increase shown is not partly due

to more skilful diagnosis, as many deaths formerly attributed to old age are now assigned to some more definite cause. The highest deathrates prevail in Victoria and Tasmania, and there is a wide range between the rates of these States and that of New South Wales, which is only 8.72 per 10,000 living.

DEATHS IN CHILDBIRTH.

In

Included under the heading of local diseases are diseases of parturition, which, together with puerperal fever, a septic disease of the zymotic group, comprise the causes of death of women in childbed. 1900, deaths from these diseases averaged 1 in every 190 births, which differs slightly from the ratio to confinements, as some births are multiple. The table below gives the number of deaths from these diseases in each State since 1872, and the deaths per 1,000 births, the usual method of stating the rate :

The rate showed a tendency to decline up till 1893, since when it has risen. The statistics presented above, however, are not absolutely to be relied upon, for the reason that medical attendants do not take sufficient care when furnishing the certificate required of them by law to state the real cause of death; for instance, it is believed that the word puerperal is omitted in many cases, especially of pyæmia and

septicemia where death occurred in childbirth. It is absurd to suppose, as the rates indicate, that there is a greater degree of risk attached to childbirth in New South Wales than in the other states, the only assurance that can be given being that since 1890 the figures for New South Wales are absolutely correct.

DEATHS FROM VIOLENCE.

Deaths by violence in 1900 numbered 4,013, or at the rate of 8.90 per 10,000 living. Of these, more than 83 per cent. were the results of accidents or negligence, and more than 12 per cent. were due to suicide, the latter being more fully dealt with in the chapter "Social Condition."

ACCIDENTS.

The total number of persons who died in 1900 from accidents was 3,358, or 7-45 per 10,000 living. The following table shows the number of deaths in each State from this cause, and the death-rates since 1870

The death-rates from accidents have fallen considerably, as the table shows, but they are still by no means low, and none of the States