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40
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 73. 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 25, equal to 0'24 per 1,000 of the population.
As a general rule, the majority of deaths from this cause occur amongst infants
and in 1920, as a matter of fact, all those who died were less than 1 year of age.
In 1919 the deaths from diarrhoeal diseases numbered 29, and of this number 23
were babies. In 1920, therefore, though there was a reduction in the total, there
was actually an increase in the number amongst babies.
Deaths from diarrhoeal 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 1920, 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 regarded as reflecting credit on all parties concerned,
the mothers of the babies and health workers alike, that the death figure was no
higher than 25.
Particularly in relation to diarrhoea amongst children, a viery 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 caused 19 deaths), but including diarrhoea (25
deaths) the total number registered as due to them was 64. This is a comparatively
low figure, lower certainly than that of any of the pre-war years.
The other diseases contributing to the total were measles, 8; diphtheria, 8
scarlet fever 9 and whooping cough 12.
PHTHISIS AND OTHER TUBERCULOUS DISEASES.
•
The total deaths due to the diseases dealt with under this heading, viz., phthisis
(pulmonary tuberculosis or consumption of the lungs), tuberculous meningitis,
general tuberculosis, tabes mesenterica, and all conditions due to the germ of
consumption, numbered 122, a figure higher by 6 than that for 1919.
The great bulk of the 122 deaths, viz., 94, was due to phthisis. The number
in 1919 was 104.