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34
MATERNAL MORTALITY.
In 1931 the number of deaths due to conditions connected with or consequent
upon child-birth was 3, the Maternal mortality rate being 2.7 per 1,000 births. In
1930, the deaths numbered 7, and the rate was 5 per 1,000. Of the 3 cases in 1931
it was possible to obtain full information with regard to 2 only, and the main facts
with regard to these are: In 1 case death was found to be due to septicaemia
following' abortion, and in the other Oedema of lungs and eclamptic abortion, the
child in this case being still-born. The age in the first case was 27, and she was
single; the other, aged 22, was married. In both cases it was the first pregnancy.
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 77. This Table
also shows the distribution of deaths according to causes 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.
DIARRHOEAL DISEASES.
The total number of deaths registered as due to diarrhoea and enteritis
(inflammation of the bowels), was 17, equal to 0.17 per 1,000 of the population.
As a general rule, the majority of deaths from this cause occur amongst
infants, and in 1931 this was the case also, no fewer than 13 of the 17 beingchildren
under 1 year of age.
In 1930, the deaths from diarrhœal diseases numbered 18, and of this number
14 were babies. In 1931, therefore, there was a slight decrease in the total over
1930.
Having regard to the general course followed by these diseases and the
mortality traceable to them, this is not remarkable. Steadily year by year these
diseases are ceasing to be the very real menace they were formerly, and the
summer and early autumn months, which were looked forward to with dread as far
as babies were concerned, are nowadays not regarded as greatly different from any
others. The reasons for the change, in addition to work done in relation to public
health and health education, are chiefly improvements in the food supply, milk
particularly.
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 28 deaths, and including diarrhoea
(17 deaths) the total number registered as due to them was 31. The figure for
1930 was 70, a measles epidemic in that year contributing 35 deaths to the total.
Amongst diseases contributing to the total may be mentioned diphtheria 4;
whooping cough, 2; scarlet fever, 3; enteric fever, 3; and measles, 2.
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 92, a figure higher by 8 than that for 1930.
The great bulk of the 92 deaths, viz., 81, was due to phthisis. The number in
930 was 84.
Of the total number of deaths registered (1,225), the percentage due to
phthisis was 6.6, as against 6.4 in 1930. The age periods at which the deaths