Ministry of Health, is, on the whole, reassuring in his
new report on the health of the nation in 1930. The death-rate and the infant mortality rate were the lowest yet recorded. Sixty out of every thousand children born died in infancy, as against seventy-four in the previous year. On the other hand, the death-rate of mothers in childbirth showed a slight further increase from 4.33 to 4.40 per thousand ; in view of the declining birth-rate, it is essential that this alarming growth of maternal mortality should be checked. Tuberculosis, in its various forms, proved less fatal than ever before, doubtless because its nature is better understood, and its treatment is more rational. But cancer claimed more victims, and showed an increasing mortality rate, which; Sir George Newman fears, may continue for some years. There is clearly abundant need for all the help that can be given to cancer research. Sir George Newman draws attention to " the disquieting increase in claims for sickness and disablement benefit," and suggests that the National Health Insurance, like Unemployment Insur- ance, is abused by many unprincipled persons. The panel doctors as a class are absolved from blame, but some of them are probably careless in giving certificates to panel patients whom they cannot afford to lose.
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