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15
Though there has been a reduction in the total number of deaths compared with the
figures for previous years, as regards distribution and proportion there has been little
change.
Christ Church, the district which always contributes most largely to the infantile as
to most of the other mortality rates, being the most thickly populated area and that
in which there is most poverty, most overcrowding and most neglect of ordinary
precautions, is again at the head of the list with 110 deaths amongst infants.
In 1912 the figure was 108.
In connection with distribution: as to age at death and causation of death matters
have undergone very little change. The greatest number of deaths occurred in the
early weeks of life. Of the babies 81 were less than one month old when they died
and 119 less than three months. The figures for 1912 were 82 and 110.
The outstanding causes of death and the proportions traceable to them were the same.
Prematurity (numbers 12, 13 and 14 in the table) which caused 81 or 38 per cent,
of the total in 1912, in 1913 took 69 or 35 per cent: diarrhoea and enteritis (7 and 8)
accounted for 20 or 9.5 per cent. in 1912 and for 21 or 10 per cent. in 1913.
Respiratory diseases, the third of the main causes, took 35 or 16 per cent. in 1912 and
in 1913 27 or 13.8 per cent.
Amongst the other causes of death, those which call for mention are the commoner
infectious diseases, which together led to fifteen deaths amongst infants (7.6 per cent.
of the total). Of the fifteen, nine were due to measles or its sequels, bronchitis,
pneumonia, &c. Injury at birth accounted for eight deaths. In 1912, four deaths
were ascribed to this, in 1911, five, and in 1910, seven. In 1909 no death was registered
as due to this cause, and in each of the years 1908 and 1907 only two.
Some form of tuberculosis was given as the cause in six instances, and in five,
convulsions.
Overlying was stated to be responsible in three cases as against eight in 1912.
One of the victims was aged three weeks and two between one and three months at
the time of death.
Causes of Infantile Mortality—-Ages at Death.
The following tables show for each registration sub-district, the ages at which
death occurred amongst the infants who died, and the causes to which death was
attributable.