A cervical smear campaign in a general practice.

IT CAN no longer be doubted that the mortality from carcinoma of the cervix uteri would virtually be eliminated if it were possible to screen the whole female population at sufficiently frequent intervals. Although deaths from carcinoma of the cervix account for only about one in 20 female cancer deaths (Chief Medical Officer's Report 1964), the peak incidence is at a younger level than that of many other cancers (Registrar-General 1964) and it is unique among cancers in being detectable at a pre-invasive and therefore curable stage. Nevertheless, large numbers of women will continue to die of it in the foreseeable future unless steps are taken to eradi-