On the alleged Increase of Cancer. 



219 



that the twist in the Scottish Widows' Fund curve is abnormal, and 

 that it must be removed if we are to arrive at the true teaching of 

 the facts. The data are given in septennial periods, and the shape 

 of the figure suggests that were it possible to rearrange them into, 

 say, quinquennial periods, the abnormality would disappear. The 

 abnormality is introduced by insisting on the rule that the area of 

 each portion of the curve must be exactly equal to the area of its 

 corresponding rectangle, a rule which is to a certain extent arbitrary. 

 Where, as in the case of the Scottish Widows' Fund experience, the 

 -iginal facts are few, and insufficient when grouped into short 



