68 ON THE PREVALENCE OF CANCER IN AUSTRALASIA. 



males and females separately. In 1862 the proportion was 9 

 per 100,000 men ; in 1891, 67 per 100,000. In other words, 

 while in 1862 one person died of cancer in Victoria, in 1891 

 7 died from it. The smallest number of females was 19 in 

 1863, which increased to 59 in 1889. That is a proportional 

 increase of 1 to 3. The increase has been a gradual one. It 

 was interrupted in some years by a decline, but generally 

 followed by a steeper increase. 



The statistics of the other colonies do not allow us to go 

 back so far, as has been the case in Victoria, but the increase is 

 noticeable in every one of them. Li New South Wales we find 

 cancer causing 13 per 1,000 deaths of females in 1876 and 83 

 in 1888 ; computed per 1000 deaths above five years of age, to 

 exclude the fluctuating infantile mortality, the corresponding 

 numbers are 25 (1876) and 63 (1888). In the same space 

 between 1875 and 1888, the returns of the male population show 

 16 (resp. 26) in 1876 and 21 (resp. 41) in 1888. 



In Queensland the statistics for the last 20 years furnish 

 the following results : — 



In 1873 Cancer caused 10"1 per cent, of the deaths. 

 In 1S92 „ „ 24-7 



In 1873 ,, ,, 16-4 deaths per 100,000 living. 

 In 18'.)2 „ „ 31-8 



The number of cases of cancer has, therefore, been doubled in 

 Queensland within 20 years. 



New Zealand shows 28*7 deaths from cancer amongst 

 100,000 living in 1882, and 47-5 in 1890. 



In South Australia the proportion was in 1873 20-5 per 

 100,000 living; in 1891, 48*3, or an increase of about 2-40 per 

 cent. 



Western Australia shares in the growing frequency of malig- 

 nant tumours ; but it would be hardly safe to draw any con- 

 clusions from the returns of this province, the total number of 

 cases (131) being too small. 



Tasmania exhibits very small fluctuation, especially as the 

 space of time from which the returns were available was com- 

 paratively brief (9 years), 49-7 per 100,000 living in 1882, and 

 ,55-0 in 1890. 



