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The fact that the number of deaths certified as due to cancer is showing a
definite tendency to increase is common knowledge, and has been referred to more
than once in these reports. No reason, generally acceptable, to account for this
has as yet been put forward, nor has any theory to account for the occurrence of
the disease, to which the medical profession as a whole can subscribe, been
submitted.
ALCOHOLISM.
Two deaths were certified during the year as due to alcoholism. Year after
year the number so certified has been quite small, and in 1923 there were no
deaths. Cirrhosis of the liver, a condition in most cases probably resulting from
abuse of alcohol, was held to be accountable for 10 deaths, double the number in
the previous year.
The deaths from conditions sometimes due to the irritation produced in various
organs by chronic alcoholism, e.g., nephritis (inflammation of the kidneys) and
Rright's disease of the kidneys, numbered 31, as against 39 for the year 1923.
ACCIDENT, SUICIDE AND MANSLAUGHTER.
Accidental or violent deaths during 1924 numbered 61. Of these 17 were due
to suicide. Deaths of babies, certified as resulting from suffocation (overlaying)
numbered 2.
PREVALENCE OF AND CONTROL OVER INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
A table showing, with regard to the infections, the total number of notifications
received, the age distribution and the number of cases notified from each of
the four registration districts, will be found on page 69.
The total number of notifications coming to hand was 703, which is higher
by 89 than the figure (614) for 1923. The bulk of the notifications related to
tuberculosis, which contributed 224 to the total. Other diseases in respect of
which fairly large numbers of notifications were received were scarlet fever (185),
diphtheria (122), and pneumonia (68).
The notification rate (proportion to population of notified cases of infectious
diseases) in 1924 was 6.6 per 1,000 as against 5.8 in 1923.
Isolation of Cases.—As the following table shows, the number of cases
removed was as high as usual :—
Diphtheria 119 or 97.5 per cent, of the cases notified.
Erysipelas 24 ,, 48.0 ,, „ ,,
Scarlet Fever 171 ,, 92.4 ,, ,, ,,
Enteric and Paratyphoid
Fever 12 ,, 70.6 „ ,,
Encephalitis Lethargica 11 ,, 61.1 ,, ,, ,,
Tuberculosis 73 ,, 32.5 ,, ,, „
Pneumonia 20 ,, 29.1 „ ,, ,,