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HEART AND CIRCULATORY DISEASE.
The percentage of deaths due to heart and other
circulatory diseases was about the same as last year, altogether
constituting slightly more than two-fifths of the total deaths.
As has been previously stated, insofar as this group
includes deaths in elderly people from what is really old age
it is hoped that the proportion of deaths coming under this
heading will increase.
This year 8l per cent. were over 65 years of age at the
time of death, while 54 per cent. were over 75 years of age, both
of these percentages being appreciably higher than the
corresponding figures last year.
CANCER.
The Cancer Deat. Rate was 1.51 per 1,000 population in
1943 compared With
1.7- in 1942 end 1.92, 1.45 and 1.58 in the
three preceding years.
The decrease this year is of particular note when it is
remembered that with the absence of certain of the younger
sections of the population the average age is increasing. More
Deaths from this disease could, however, be prevented if only
advice were sought earlier, e.g. more than half of the Deaths in
women resulted from Cancer of the breast, which is one of the
accessible forms of the disease.
VIOLENCE.
Deaths from Violence (including Suicide) were about the
same during 1943 as in 1942, the Death Rate per thousand of .
population being 0.42 comparerd with 0.40 last year and 0.75,
1.18 0.49 an 0.49 in the previous four years.
Of the deaths from Violence other than Suicide only 2
were due to road accidents, compared with 4 last year, while
only 2 Were due to enemy action and these occurred away from the
District.
The Death Rate from Suicide was 9 per 100,000 of
population, as compared with 10 last year, and 17, 11 and. 14 in
the preceding 3 years.
MATERNAL MORTALITY. '
The Maternal Mortality Rate was 1.07 per thousand total
births as compared with 1.10 and 1.68 in the two preceding years.
The corresponding figures for England and Wales were 2.29, 2.01
and 2.23.
INFANTILE MORTALITY.
The Infantile Mortality Rate for 1943 was 36 per thousand
registered births, compared with 45 last year and 52, 37, 43 and
51 in the preceding four year The corresponding Rates for'
England and Wales were 49 in 1943 and prior to that 49, 59, 55
and 50.
The fall in the local rate and the record rates for
this Country as a whole are a pleasing reward for the amount of
thought and effort given to the welfare of children,especially
during the period of the War.
The commonest cause of death locally was again "prematurity"
but infections of various kinds accounted for nearly half of the
infant deaths, thus emphasising the importance of segregating ,
babies and young children when any infectious disease exists' in a
house, however mild this ,may appear to be Even the common cold
may produce serious consequences in a young baby.
The neo-natal mortality rate (i???e. deaths in the first
month per thousand live births) was 23, which is the lowest since
1936, this rate in recent years being 31, 36, 32 and 29.