Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-12-21
Cancer In New England.

lu6 N6W EuRIduu blatos koucIdiIy
show higher death rate from cancer
than any other group of states. This
does not mean that New England people
are more susceptible to this disease
Cancer is disease of later adult life and
1t is we'll known that in parts OF New
England there are more old people pro.
portionately to the population than in
many other regions. Nevertheless, the
death rates recently published by the u
Is. Census Bureau have stimulated much
activity In these states 10 the educ ,liOnal
campaign for the control Of malignant
disease.
What are the facts on which this move
n ent is basedp According TO the report
of the Census Bureau, in 1918 there were
40, ,92S deaths from cancer in the registra.
tion area of the United States, cOrre-
spending to death rate Of Is 0 per l00,.
900 of the population. All the New
England states have individual cancer
death rates much higher than this.
Connecticut's rate, which was the lowest
OF any OF the New England states, was
IS 1 Vermont's rate was the highest
with Ill 7, while the rates of the other
states were correspopdingly high, Name
having rate of 107 5, New Hampshire
104 4, Massachusetts, 101 and Rhode
Island 93.3 When these figures are com.
pared with those of Kentucky, with a
rate OF 4S, they zee II indeed very high.
They mean that 6,8l7 people died in 1913
in New Englasd from cancer. But IL
docs not necessarily follow that cancer is
more common In New England than else
where. The Census Bureau attributes
the high cancer death rates in certain
districts to the relatively high age dis
tribution of the population and the neg
ligible amount OF immigration. Trans
lated into everyday terms this msan'
that in New England the proportion OF
people over 40 years of age, or at the
cancer age, to those under 40, and SO
less liable to cancer, is greater than in
other places. Yet there is no doubt that
the cancer death rate In New England as
we'll as In other parts OF the country IL
much higher than 1t ought to be. With.
out question, q large percentage OF cancer
deaths can be prevented by early recog'
milton Of the symptoms and prompt re-
course to competent surgical advice and
treatment. Cancer is not q hopeless In.
curable affection, az SO many people
wrongly believe. Those who know the
facts believe that If the public can be
properly educated in regard to the early
signs of the disease and will act on this
knowledge, the present mortality should
be reduced at least half and perhaps two.
thirds.
That New England Is awake to this OF
portunity of saving lives is evident from
the activity In several states. To pro
test against taxation without representa-
tion the patriots of Massachusetts
dumped overheard the famous cargo Ol
tea. Vermont medical men have be-
come 90 concerned over the high cancer
death rate OF their state that they are
going to hold tea-party" Of another
sort and attempt to dump overheard the
high death rate from malignant disease
While their action IL not 30 dramatic as
that OF the patriot raiders they hope tc
prove that through Its great ultimatt
benefit to the community 1t will be al
most ~ patriotic. The New Hampshire
State Board OF Health has recently pub
lisbed sound advice In its Bulletin. II
Maine an active COMMITTEES Of the State
Medical Society is arranging public lee
lures and causing the publication of in
s;ructive articles in the newspapers
Massachusetts, has . we'll organized
branch Of the American Society for tb,
Control of Cancer with headquarters Il
Boston. The Vermont State Medica
Society has held series Of public meet
! ings to spread the bad news Of the higl
, cancer death rate and the good news o
, the hope Of controlling the disease b!
earlier recognition and prompt surgica
Treatment.