6 PRINCIPAI. CAUSES OF MORTAXiITY IN QUEENSLAND 



fact that the attendance on those of the family who are 

 suffering from the disease falls to the females, they would be 

 less likely to escape the infection than the males who spend a 

 much greater part of their time away from home. As the 

 Queensland rates have been probably effected to a certain 

 extent by the presence of a number of persons who came here 

 with the hope of deriving benefit from the climate, it would not 

 be safe to draw deductions from these alone, but as they are 

 supported by the English figures I think that they may be 

 depended on. From these considerations I should gather 

 that while the efforts made to reduce the spread of 

 consumption amongst the population generally have been 

 largely successful, they have been materially assisted by wise 

 attention to the danger of direct infection amongst members of 

 the family circle. I think these figures may also bear the 

 inference that a good deal of consumption set. down as due to 

 heredity, may rather be ascribed to infection. The English 

 annual rate per 10,000 living in the year 1898, taking the 

 population over age 15, was 24 for males and 17 for females, a 

 much higher rate than Queensland has ever known. 



Cancer. 



While the outlook as regards phthisis is decidedly hopeful, 

 the reverse is the case in regard to cancer. The former disease 

 is still responsible for more deaths than cancer or any other 

 disease, but as cancer is rapidly increasing, while phthisis is 

 diminishing, the present relative positions may not long continue. 

 In 15 years the proportion of deaths from cancer to phthisis has 

 increased in Queensland from 30 per cent, to 60 per cent. ; 

 indeed, at the present time in this State cancer causes more 

 death after it once comes into evidence at about age 35 than 

 does phthisis after that age. In England, owing to the large 

 number of deaths from phthisis, that disease still causes more 

 deaths than cancer even after 35, though the difference is 

 gradually becoming smaller. 



The ratios for Queensland are as follows : — 



MALES. FEMALES. 



Annual Ratio per Annual Ratio per 



10.000 living over 10,000 livin? over 



age 35. Total Deaths. age 35. 



6-6 95 12-6 



8-0 158 14-8 



9-6 181 12-4 



11-8 281 15-6 



16-6 419 201 



The considerable difference in the rates of increase in males 



and females is very marked, and is a common feature in all 



