The Evolution of Death

A lot has changed since 1915. Not only the way we live, but also the way we die. New data released by the Office for National Statistics shows the big changes in the most common causes of death in England and Wales from 1915 to 2015. Around 100 years ago, if you were going to die, the chances are it would have been some kind of infection that ended it all. Due to medical advances and immunisation virtually wiping out diseases such as polio, diphtheria and measles, this type of death has been overtaken by other causes.

In the modern day, a woman is most likely to be killed by some form of cancer, while for men, the outlook is a little more mixed. While cancer in males is of course still prevalent, between the ages of 15 and 44, the most common death is one caused by 'external' factors - such as drug misuse, self-harm or suicide.