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48
DEATHS IN RELATION TO DISEASE.
A list of the causes of deaths, with the ages at which they occurred, will be
found in Table III. of the Ministry of Health series on page 87. This Table
also shows the distribution of deaths according to cause in the various registration
sub-districts.
The following notes with regard to certain of the causes which contributed most
largely to the death rate, may be of interest.
DIARRHCEAL DISEASES.
The total number of deaths registered as due to diarrhoea and enteritis
(inflammation of the bowels), was 29, equal to 0'29 per 1,000 of the population.
As a general rule, the majority of deaths from this cause occur amongst infants
and in 1919 this was the case also, no fewer than 23 of the 29 being children under
1 year of age.
In 1918 the deaths from diarrhœal diseases numbered 35, and of this number 28
were babies. In 1919, therefore, there was not only a reduction in the total, but a
decrease in the number amongst babies.
Deaths from diarrhceal diseases always vary most markedly with the weather
conditions, being higher when the summer is warm and dry, lower when it is cold
and wet.
They vary also with the sanitary condition of the district and the amount of
welfare work done on behalf of the babies.
The year 1919 from the point of view of weather was not what might be called
a "diarrhoea year," and doubtless this accounts for part of the fall. Much was also
due to welfare work and even to sanitary work which, despite tremendous difficulties,
was steadily gone on with, some credit must be given. Taking all things into
consideration, indeed, it may be taken as reflecting credit on all parties concerned, the
mothers of the babies and health workers alike, that the death figure was no higher
than 29.
Particularly in relation to diarrhoea amongst children, a very great deal of
educational work is done at the centres of the Health Society and in the homes by
health visitors and inspectors, and during the year there was the usual wide
distribution of special leaflets on diarrhoea, flies in relation to disease, etc.
Infectious (Communicable) Diseases.
The number of deaths due to each of the diseases included in this group is
referred to when dealing specifically with the disease under the heading " Prevalence
of and Control over Infectious Diseases." It is interesting to note here, however,
that excluding influenza, which alone caused 117 deaths, and including diarrhoea (29
deaths) the total number registered as due to them was 69. This is a comparatively
low figure, lower certainly than that of any of the pre-war years.
The diseases contributing most largely to the total were measles, 17; and
diphtheria, 11. These two figures are exactly the same as those of 1918.