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15
MATERNAL MORTALITY.
In 1938 the number of deaths due to conditions connected with or consequent
upon child-birth was 2, the maternal mortality rate being 2.41 per 1,000 births.
In 1937 there were 4 deaths, the death-rate being 4.46 per 1,000 births.
With regard to the 1938 deaths it may be noted that one occurred in hospital
and one in a nursing home, the ages of the women being respectively 30 and 39.
DEATHS IN RELATION TO DISEASE.
A list of the causes of deaths, with the ages at which they occurred, will be
found in Table 15 on page 19. 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 12, giving a rate of 0.13
per 1,000 of the population.
As a general rule, the majority of deaths from this cause occur amongst infants,
and in 1938 this was the case also, no fewer than 8 of the 12 being children under
one year of age.
In 1937, the number of deaths from diarrhoeal diseases was 12. Of these, 9 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 and other
Diseases." It is interesting to note here, however, that excluding influenza, which
caused 10 deaths, and including diarrhoea, etc. (12 deaths) the total number registered
as due to them was 18. Of these deaths, 2 were caused by diphtheria and 2 by
scarlet fever. One death was attributed to measles and one to whooping cough.
In 1937, 23 deaths were due to infectious diseases, excluding influenza which caused
44 deaths.
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 44, 54
being recorded in 1937.
The great bulk of the 44 deaths, viz., 34, was due to phthisis. The number in
1937 was 51.
Of the total number of deaths registered (1,008), the percentage due to phthisis
was 3.4 as against 4.5 in 1937. The age periods at which the deaths occurred were :
1—5, nil; 5—15, nil; 15—25, 3 (9%); 25-5, 13 (38%); 45—65, 14 (41%);
65 and over, 4 (12%).
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 102. This is lower by 37 than
the figure (139) for 1937.
The death-rate was 1.12 per thousand. In 1937 the rate was 1.52.
The number of deaths certified to be due to bronchitis was 26. Of this number
14 were amongst persons aged 65 and upwards, and 7 amongst those of the group
45—65. Four were infants of under one year of age.
The deaths traceable to pneumonia numbered 70 and, as in the case of bronchitis,
the later age-groups contributed the greatest numbers.