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5
CAUSES OF DEATH.
HEART AND CIRCULATORY DISEASE.
This was, as usual the largest group representing
just under two-fifths of the total Deaths. However, 73% of
these deaths were in persons over 65 years of age.
CANCER.
There was a considerable reduction in the number
of deaths from cancer during 1940, only 12.58 per cent. of the
total deaths being due to this disease as compared with an
average of 17.4 for the preceding seven years. Considered
in relation to population, the Cancer Death Rate was 1.45 per
thousand of population in 1940, compared with 1.58 last year.
VIOLENCE.
Deaths from Violence (including Suicide) increased
during 1940, the Death Rate per thousand of population being
1.18 compared with 0.49 for the last two years.
In 1940 there were 54 deaths from Violence other
than Suicide as compared with 27 last year. Of the 54 Deaths
only 8 were due to road traffic accidents, while 36 were due
to War operations.
Deaths from Suicide decreased in number, there
being only 6 (1 male and 5 female) as compared with 8, 13, 8,
3 9 and 6 in the preceding six years. The Death Rate from
this cause was thus 11 per 100,000 of population, as compared
with 14 last year and averages of 11 and 12 in the preceding
two decades.
MATERNAL MORTALITY.
There were 3 deaths associated with childbirth
during 1940, the Maternal Mortality Rate being 4.66 per thousand
total births as compared with 2.16 for England and Wales. While
the local rate is higher than in 1939, when it was 2.62, the
national rata has fallen from 2.82.
The deaths which occurred locally were due to
embolism following childbirth in one case and eclampsia in two
cases, the latter occurring in Institutions outside the Urban
District.
INFANTILE MORTALITY.
The number of deaths occurring in children under
one year of age was 23 (16 male and 7 female) as compared with
33 last year. Three of the deaths were in illegitimate
children.
The Infantile Mortality Rate was thus 37 per
thousand registered births, as compared with 43 and 58 in the
last two years.
The Infantile Mortality Rate for England and Wales
in 1940 was 55 compared with 50 in 1939 which was the lowest
ever experienced.
The neo-natal mortality rate (i.e. deaths in the
first month per thousand live births) was 32 which is 3 more
than last year.