View report page

44
gives a death-rate of 17.6 per 1000 persons living for an
estimated population of 30414, in the middle of June, 1873,
calculated on the method pursued by the Registrar-General,
though I must repeat that I do not think this method
is equal to the rapidly increasing population of this district;
however, be that as it may, we may congratulate ourselves
on a death-rate which will fairly bear comparison with
supposed healthier and more favoured districts around us.
Last year, 1872, the number of deaths was 644, so that
the death-rate was nearly in the same ratio to population
in 1873. As many as 286 of the total number (674) took
place under 5 years of age; 331 under 20; from 20 to 60,
179 ; and above 60, 164; being 22 more than last year,
35 of whom had reached above 80 years—the 4 oldest
being females aged respectively 92, 93, 98, and 98. It is
a matter of extreme regret that so very large a per centage
of the deaths for the year, as will be seen by the tabulated
statement, occurred amongst infants under 12 months old.
Out of a total of 674 deaths no less than 189 took place
at this very early period of life. This gives *28, or nearly
-J- of the whole mortality. That out of every 25 deaths
we should have to record those of 7 infants, is a matter
deserving serious attention. Several causes are at work in
bringing about this result; not the least important influence is
the very low vitality of infant life. During the earlier
days the infant is dependent on the parent for most of its
warmth, and is too feeble to withstand vicissitudes of
weather and climate ; add also, in many cases, hardships
from poverty, bad sanitary conditions, &c., and the case is
deplorable. Some of these, it is true, are irremediable,
but, happily, we have in our own hands the power of
removing one very fertile source of mortality amongst very
poor children. In civilized communities it is too much the
habit to follow some custom in the feeding of young
children instead of looking to the course which Nature has
planned. During the early months of childhood Nature
has provided the mother's milk, which, in most cases, is
quite sufficient for all the wants of the infant, as it contains
the constituents necessary to form the tissues. Teeth are