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45
MATERNAL MORTALITY.
In 1932 the number of deaths due to conditinos connected with or consequent
upon child-birth was 4, the Maternal mortality rate being 3.8 per 1,000 births. In
1931, the deaths numbered 3, and the rate was 2.7 per 1,000. The main facts
with regard to the 1932 deaths are: In 1 case death was found to be due to
septicaemia, following the birth of twins, who survived. In another, in which
operation was performed, incomplete miscarriage was followed by portal pyaemia.
The ages were 40 years and 36 years respectively. A third case was that of a
woman of 39 years of age, who gave birth to female twins, one of which survived.
The cause of death was toxœmia of pregnancy. The fourth died from cardiac
failure following post partum haemorrhage, her age being 29 years. The child
survived. In all four instances the woman was married.
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 74. 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 enterities
(inflammation of the bowels), was 29, equal to 0.28 per 1,000 of the population.
As a general rule, the majority of deaths from this cause occur amongst
infants, and in 1932 this was the case also, no fewer than 24 of the 29 being
children under 1 year of age.
In 1931, the deaths from diarrhœal diseases numbered 17, and of this number
13 were babies. This increase in 1932 is difficult to understand since there was no
slackening of any of the efforts in relation to public health work generally and the
milk supply particularly, which have been held to be responsible in the past for
reducing and keeping under control this at one time serious menace to infancy.
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 35 deaths, and including diarrhoea
(29 deaths) the total number registered as due to them was 64. Of these deaths,
18 were caused by measles and 14 by whooping cough. No death was caused by
scarlet fever and only one by diphtheria. In 1931, 31 deaths were due to infectious
diseases excluding influenza, which caused 28 deaths. The figure in 1930
was 70.
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 75, a figure lower by 17 than that for 1931.
The great bulk of the 75 deaths, viz., 67, was due to phthisis. The number in
1931 was 81.
Of the total number of deaths registered (1,265), the percentage due to
phthisis was 6.0, as against 6.6 in 1931. The age periods at which the deaths
occurred were: 15—25, 12 (17.9%); 25—45, 26 (38.8%); 45—65, 21 (31.4%); 65
and over, 8 (11.9%).
The subject of phthisis is further discussed in connection with the notification
and prevention of tuberculosis.