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9
Cancer and Malignant Disease.

Respiratory Diseases. —313 deaths were due to bronchitis,
291 to pneumonia (all forms), and 41 to other diseases of the
respiratory organs, as compared with 276 bronchitis, 244 pneumonia,
and 31 other respiratory diseases during 1923.
Violent deaths. —78 deaths are classified under this heading,
as compared with 76 for the previous year.
Suicides.—20 persons committed suicide in the Borough
during 1924, as compared with 27 during 1923.
Infantile Mortality.
The infantile mortality rate for the year was 70, as compared
with 56 for 1923. The number of deaths shows an increase of 40
over the recorded figure for 1923.
The principal cause of the increase in the rate is due to the
number of deaths from measles, bronchitis and pneumonia,
which occurred in the first three months of the year.
It is not pleasant to have to report an increase of 14 points
in the rate for 1924, but this increase need not be viewed with
concern, as the most reliable index of the value of the various
activities which aim at the prevention of infant deaths is the
comparison of the existing rate with the past rates extended over
several years. A reduction is taking place steadily, and apart
from exceptional years such as 1923, last year's figure shows an
improvement of 8 points over the 1922 rate, and 4 for 1921.
In fact, since 1914 there has been a reduction of 29 points.
This improvement can undoubtedly be attributed to the work
of the Public Health department, resulting in a better informed
public opinion, which is due to the instruction given to mothers,
not only at the Infant Welfare Centres, but in their own homes,
in the care and management of infants.
Whilst much still remains to be done in the direction of
encouraging the greater use of the ante-natal clinic, by which
means it is hoped to bring about a diminution in the number of
deaths of infants in the first month of life, yet there is reason
to feel satisfied with the steady progress that is being made.