View report page

28
Vascular Lesions of Nervous System.—This class, which
includes deaths arising from Cerebral Haemorrhage, Embolism and
Thrombosis was responsible for a total of 84 deaths. The age
distribution was as follows :—1 between 25 and 45 years ; 19 between
45 and 65 years ; 24 between 65 and 75 years and 40 from 75 years
upwards.
Heart Disease.—Under the new classifications this disease has
been divided into three sub-headings: (a) Coronary Disease,
Angina, (b) Hypertension with Heart Disease, and (c) Other Heart
Disease.
The total deaths occasioned by these amounted to 257 compared
with a figure of 246 for 1953, and, as usual, the deaths from this
class occupied the principal place in the classification of diseases.
Diseases op the Respiratory System. — There were
altogether 75 deaths from these diseases, Bronchitis accounting
for 47 and Pneumonia (all forms) for 27.
Of the total deaths, 4 were of children under one year of age
and 54 were in respect of persons 65 years and over.
Influenza.—There were no deaths attributed to this cause
during the year. Fifteen were recorded during 1953.
Deaths from Violence.—These number 37 including 11
from Motor Vehicle Accidents, 9 from Suicide and the remainder
being accounted for under the heading of 'All Other Accidents.'
Deaths from Motor Vehicle Accidents were similar in number to
those of the previous year, while suicide showed a fall of two.
Three of the remaining deaths from violence concerned children
under 5 years of age. Two, which may be regarded as preventable,
were caused by asphyxia (one as the result of the child swallowing
a metal stud and the other resulting from the inhalation of coal gas)
and the third concerned a newly born female child found on waste
ground, the cause of whose death was unascertainable.
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.