The frequent occurrence of carcinoma of the stomach in old houses and in those whose drainage systems are defective has led to the belief that insanitary conditions either predispose to or excite the disease.2 It would appear, however, from the reports of the Registrar-General that the death-rate from cancer is comparatively low in densely populated districts, where the hygienic arrangements are imperfect and where the mortality from infectious complaints is the greatest. It is also less among those engaged in industrial employments than among the professional classes and shopkeepers; while in most of the large cities it is more prevalent in the wealthy quarters than in those of the poorer section of the population. These facts have induced certain authorities to regard luxurious living as an important factor in the etiology of malignant disease, but it might also be argued that the lesser mortality in early life among the rich permits a greater proportion to attain the age at which cancer is usually met with.