View report page

110
The mortality from zymotic disease sustained by the
labouring population in comparison with that of the
other classes combined is seen to have corresponded with
the average amount, but the proportional amount of the
total mortality that occurred amongst the labouring
classes underwent the unusually large reduction of more
than 5½ per cent. during the past year, a circumstance
which furnishes a marked indication of sanitary progress
in the direction of its greatest requirement.
Infant
Mortality.
As might be anticipated from the diminished
fatality during the past year of epidemic diseases,
the most destructive of infant life, a very considerable
reduction is noticeable in the amount of infant
mortality; thus the proportional number of deaths of
infants under one year of age in relation to the number
of births was 11.4 per cent., the decennial average being
13.6 per cent. Relatively to the total mortality however,
infrnts under one year of age suffered a disproportionately
greater number of deaths, as is seen on comparing
the annual number with the decennial average
number of deaths of children at the following ages,
viz:—the deaths of children under ten years of age
formed 39.6 per cent. of the total mortality, the average
being 40.8 per cent., whereas the deaths of infants under
one year formed 25 per cent. of all deaths, the average
being 21.8 per cent. The relatively greater mortality
of infants under one year was the result of the fatality
of Diarrhoea having been, as already shown, almost exclusively
borne by them.
Senile
Mortality.
Eighty deaths occurred at 70 years and upwards,
the average number being 62, and of the
former 36 were registered as due to old age, unassociated
with disease. The sex and age of the deceased with the
numbers at different periods are set forth in the following