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35
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 65. 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 diarrhcea and enteritis
(inflammation of the bowels), was 22, equal to 0'20 per 1,000 of the population.
As a general rule, the majority of deaths from this cause occur amongst infants
and in 1921, as a matter of fact, all those who died were less than 1 year of age,
with the exception of two.
In 1920 the deaths from diarrhceal diseases numbered 25, all the victims being
babies. In 1921, therefore, there was a reduction in the total.
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 infants.
The year 1921, from the point of view of weather, was what might be called
a " diarrhcea year," and definitely, though there may have been and probably were
other factors at work, it is safe and right to claim that to some, even to a large,
extent cases were remarkably few because during the year weltare and sanitary
work, despite tremendous difficulties, was steadily gone on with. 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 22 from this most dreadful of all infant scourges.
Particularly in relation to diarrhcea 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 caused 1+ deaths), but including diarrhcea (22
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 diphtheria, 24 ; scarlet fever, 5
and whooping cough, 7.
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 117, which is less by 5 than the figure for 1920.