212 Mr. G. King and Dr. A. Newsholme. 



of importance what standard is selected, because, all the observatioi 

 being treated alike, the comparisons instituted between them will 

 entirely trustworthy. It is desirable, however, to adopt a standar 

 which is not purely arbitrary, and in the following investigations wi 

 have therefore used that given by the " English Life Table, No. 

 Persons," as the most suitable. This represents a stationary populj 

 tion unaffected by changes in the birth-rate or by migrations ; am 

 although no existing community conforms to it, yet, for purposes 

 comparison of one community with another, it answers every purj 

 The following is the age distribution according to this standard : 



Table B. Age Distribution according to the English Life Table, 

 No. 3, Persons. 



Ages. Population. 



2535 260,259 



3545 232,106 



4555 199,912 



5565 158,812 



6575 102,196 



75 and upwards 46,715 



1,000,000 



These considerations showing that a source of fallacy lurks in the 

 rates of mortality usually quoted (especially when one country is 

 compared with another), and that this fallacy specially affects the 

 question of cancer, we came to the conclusion that it was desirable to- 

 rn vestigate the alleged increase of cancer altogether afresh, and to 

 avail ourselves in doing so of all the materials that could be turned 

 to good account. 



In order to be useful, the materials must extend over a long 

 period of time, and must be presented in such form that, at any rate 

 for several intervals of years, the deaths from cancer and the popula- 

 tion may be grouped according to age and sex. 



The records of life assurance offices of old standing might throw 

 much light upon the subject, and doubtless if access could be had to 

 them, and if the experience were collated in a suitable manner, an 

 immense amount of most valuable information would be obtained. 

 Unfortunately these sources, with one conspicuous exception, are cot 

 available. This exception is the Scottish Widows' Fund Life Assur- 

 ance Society. For many years that institution has been accustomed 

 at each septennial investigation to prepare a very complete statement 

 of its mortality experience, distinguishing the deaths according to 

 age and according to the causes of death, and at the same time giving 

 the number of lives at risk in each interval of age. Through the 



