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Deciphering Handwriting

grandaughter82

master brummie
Hi everyone!
I was very excited to receive this today any idea what my great grandad died of in the 1920s?
I cant read a single word
 

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Top line "epithelium of the lips" - I did look up the meaning but was non the wiser. I am not sure of the bit in brackets.
Second lines "secondary malignant glands of the neck" - sounds as if it might be tumours in the lymph glands but that is only a guess.
 
2 causes of death there


looks like something of lips to me

second cause... secondary malignant glands of neck...thats about all i can make out

lyn
 
From Radiation Vol. 4 No. 4 1925
"EPITHELIOMA of the lip comprises, on the whole, about 2 per cent of all reported cases of malignancy, and —in conjunction with neoplastic growths in other parts of the body—its incidence is undoubtedly becoming more common, the frequency of its occurrence being out of proportion to the relative increase in population. As an increasing number of cases of epithelioma of the lip continually present themselves for treatment, the necessity for better technic and more competent handling of the condition becomes particularly evident. Hampered as we still are by the lack of definite knowledge regarding the etiology of these lesions, and, until recently, having no means of treatment which might be regarded as even reasonably reliable or satisfactory, progress has necessarily been slow."

I wonder what was causing the rise in cases? As (here) they were proposing using Radium for treatment presumably it wasn't cases of watchmakers sucking their 'glow in the dark' dial paintbrushes.
 
As an aside, in more recent times the idea of 'cancer clusters' comes up, usually blamed on power lines, mobile phone, nuclear power plants etc.
However this is an old idea that pre-dates these modern devices. People would talk of 'cancer houses'.

From Harmsworth's Universal Encyclopedia: "Cancer:... The death rate in England and Wales 1921 was 1,215 per million of the living... The cause of cancer is unknown. The theory that it is due to a parasite has been the subject of much investigation, but all attempts to isolate and organism.... have failed. This view was held to be supported by the existence of districts in which it is especially prevalent, and still more so by 'cancer houses'.."

Might be obvious but the last lines of the entry say 'Certified by Edmund Wilkinson M.R.C.S. [Member Royal College of Surgeons]'
 
I wondered if he worked outside as it can, I believe, be caused by long exposure to the sun.
Janice, I concur with your thought process and believe that many do! My wife’s uncle was the Dean (I believe) of the American College of Surgeons, cancer surgeon, examining physician and avid fisherman. Always wore a wide brimmed hat and covered his face from the reflected sun on the water. I remember going fishing with him in my mid 20’s and he would not leave the dock until everyone was covered!
 
Oh wow brilliant. Thank you all.
He spent the majority of his life in the royal marines as a sergeant by 1920 when he died it states he was working as a labourer in a factory living in Aston at 130 High Street which I think there was a factory near by.
 
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