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43
[1903
INFANTILE MORTALITY.
The number of deaths among infants under one year old was 1,136, which
is lower by 261 than any return of the preceding ten years; the average
number having been 1,397. These deaths represented a rate of 126 per 1,000
births during the year as compared with a mean rate of 146 during the
preceding ten years. Thus there has occurred the large saving of 20 lives in
every 1,000 children born, which is a very considerable gain. This rate was
the lowest recorded daring the last eighteen years, as may be seen from the
following figures:—
Years.
Deaths.
Deaths
per 1,000 Births.
1885 1,387 144
1886 1,512 154
1887 1,517 160
1888 1,554 133
1889 1,271 132
1890 1,261 158
1891 1,488 151
1892 1,481 148
1893 1,488 163
Years.
Deaths.
Deaths
per 1,000 Births.
1894 1,229 129
1895 1,416 143
1896 1,490 150
1897 1,338 136
1898 1,504 159
1899 1,548 160
1900 1,344 145
1901 1,290 139
1902 1,219 132
1903 1,136 Deaths = 126 per 1,000 Births.
The 1,136 deaths represented 235 per 1,000 of the total deaths, which
was 8 per 1,000 less than the proportion which obtained in the years
1893-1902.
The decrease in the deaths among these very young children was due chiefly
to a decreased mortality from Epidemic Diarrhoea and Enteritis, Bronchitis,
Debility, Marasmus, Atrophy and Tabes Mesenterica, although other diseases,
such as Measles, Convulsions, Tubercular Meningitis also contributed to the
result in a lesser degree. There was on the other hand a slight increase in
the number of deaths returned from Developmental Diseases, Gastritis and
Pneumonia. The particulars respecting 21 causes of the mortality, together
with a statement for the ten years 1893-1902 are fully set out in Table XXV.
D 2