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14
that in the Northern Division. It will be noted that the mortality
of the Southern Division exceeds that of the Northern mainly in
respect of the deaths from Diarrhoea, Diseases of Respiratory
Organs, Diseases of Urinary Organs, Diseases of Nervous System
(including Apoplexy and Convulsions), Premature Birth, Senility,
Wasting and Debility, Accidents (including " overlying ") ; and if
these deaths were grouped according to the ages at which death
occurred, it would be found that by far the largest number would
be allotted to the first five years of life.
In my Report for 1897 attention was drawn to the loose manner
in which the cause of death is sometimes registered and the
difficulties which this fact gives rise to in compiling an accurate
classification. During last year the returns showed some improvement,
but in three cases during the year the cause of death was
registered as Irom two distinct diseases, apparently co-existent,
i.e. " Scarlet Fever and Diphtheria," " Acute Rheumatism and
Heat Apoplexy," " Diabetes and Bronchitis." Doubtless the
symptoms of one complaint were predominant just before death,
and if this circumstance were indicated it would be far easier to
decide which disease could be most justly credited with the death
for the purposes of classification. Again, during the year, six
deaths were ascribed solely to " old age," when the ages at death
fell between 67 and 78 years. Such deaths are generally due to
something more than a gradual decay of nature "Convulsions,"
"Exhaustion'' and "Asthenia" are all further instances-of loose
certification, for each of these conditions is a symptom of some
malady the nature of which can generally be determined and named
on the certificate
It will be noted that in Table A 2 a comparison of the number
of deaths from different causes in the years 1898 and 1897 is shown,
and that in 1898 a noteworthy diminution in the mortality from the
following conditions is manifest :—Diphtheria, Typhoid Fever,
Tuberculosis, Senility. On the other hand there was a noteworthy
increase in the mortality from Diarrhoea, Influenza, Diseases of
Respiratory Organs, Diseases of Urinary Organs, Cancer,
Premature Birth.
The increased mortalities from Diarrhoea, Influenza and
Diseases of the Respiratory Organs are due to climatic and other