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26
Deaths feom Violence.—These numbered 34 including 11
from Motor Vehicle Accidents, 11 from Suicide and the remainder
being accounted for under the heading of 'All Other Accidents.'
Deaths from Motor Vehicle Accidents show an increase of 5
over those of the previous year, while suicide shows an advance
of two.
Much has been made, in recent times, of the serious nature of
the increase in deaths due to cancer and heart disease but there
has often been a tendency for the case, important though it
undoubtedly is, to be overstated.
From a national and economic standpoint the child who is
killed in a road accident is a greater potential loss to the community
than a person of over 65 years of age who dies from cancer or a
heart disability.
Recently, Dr. D. J. R. Snow, Epidemiologist to the Department
of Public Health for Western Australia analysed vital statistics
with a view to determining the number of 'useful years lost' for
each of the major causes of death and his investigations revealed
that on this basis 'automobile and other accidents' head the list as
the primary cause of premature death with cancer and coronary
disease in 3rd and 5th places respectively ; suicide occupies 7th
position in this new form of classification.
Observations of this nature only emphasise the necessity for
even greater attention on accident prevention measures.