"In a recent paper, Pollard (1991) has demonstrated that under the Gompertz law of mortality quick accurate or approximate answers can be obtained to many queries on survival.  Some of Pollard's formulae can also be developed in the context of multiple decrement life tables so as to arrive at simple solutions to problems on the probability of death due to a given cause and the effect of the elimination of a cause of death.  It is realized that the cause-specific force of mortality may not obey the Gompertz law.  Still, it may be possible to group the causes in such a way that for each group the Gompertz curve provides a good approximation."