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34
MATERNAL MORTALITY.
In 1936 the number of deaths due to conditions connected with or consequent
upon child-birth was 2, the Maternal mortality rate being 2.2 per 1,000 births.
In 1935 there were 2 deaths, the death-rate also being 2.2 per 1,000 births.
With regard to the 1936 deaths it may be noted that both occurred in nursing
homes, one of the women being 26 and the other 32.
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 66. 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 25, equal to 0.27 per 1,000 of the population.
As a general rule, the majority of deaths from this cause occur amongst
infants, and in 1936 this was the case also, no fewer than 22 of the 25 being
children under 1 year of age.
In 1935, the deaths from diarrhceal diseases numbered 18, and of this number
17 were babies.
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 14 deaths, and including diarrhoea
etc., (25 deaths) the total number registered as due to them was 49. Of these
deaths, 1 was caused by paratyphoid fever, 1 by scarlet fever, 6 by diphtheria.
Two deaths were attributed to encephalitis lethargica and one to cerebro-spinal
fever, whilst whooping cough and measles accounted for 5 and 8 respectively.
In 1935, 26 deaths were due to infectious diseases excluding influenza, which
caused 9 deaths. The figure in 1934 was 37.
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 69, 72 being recorded in 1935.
The great bulk of the 69 deaths, viz., 62, was due to phthisis. The number in
1935 was 63. .
Of the total number of deaths registered (1,169), the percentage due to
phthisis was 5.2, as against 5.8 in 1935. The age periods at which the deaths
occured were: 5—15, 1 ((1.6%); 15—25, 9 (14.7%); 25—45, 21 (34.5%); 45—65,
23 (37.7%); 65 and over, 7 ( 11.5%).
The subject of phthisis is further discussed in connection with the notification
and prevention of tuberculosis.
RESPIRATORY DISEASES.
The number of deaths due to bronchitis, pneumonia, and other diseases of the
organs of respiration was 114. This is higher by 42 than the figure (72) for 1935,