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15
An analysis of the ages at death shows that of those registered:—
19 were under 1 year of age.
2 were 1 and under 5 years of age.
5 were 5 and under 15 years of age.
5 were 15 and under 25 years of age.
25 were 25 and under 45 years of age.
142 were 45 and under 65 years of age.
154 were 65 and under 75 years of age.
272 were 75 and over.
624

Full details of the causes of death will be found in Table II in
the Appendix.
Perhaps the most striking feature of these figures is the very small
number of deaths clue to the infectious diseases. This says much for
the success of our preventive measures, but there is also no doubt that
modern advances in treatment have saved many lives, and the fact
that many of the common infections now seem to be passing through
a phase of diminished virulence, must have played a further part in
bringing about this gratifying state of affairs.
Another favourable trend has been the gradual decline in the
number of deaths from tuberculosis, though the fact that this figure
did not show a further fall in 1955, suggests that it may now have
reached as low a level as will be attained while a hard core of unrecognised
cases of the disease exists within the community.
A far less satisfactory feature is that of the deaths caused by road
and other accidents. Although the number of deaths from this cause
in any one year is not great, it must be remembered that for every fatal
accident, there are many others less serious, but involving injuries
which often lead to permanent disability and disfigurement. Even if
fatalities alone are considered, it will be seen that in this district in
the past two years, the numbers of accidental deaths have exceeded
those caused by all the infectious diseases, including tuberculosis.
There is little doubt that much, if not all, of this yearly toll of accidental
injuries and deaths could be prevented, if the most elementary