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173
Taking the figures in the table as a whole, the outstanding
features are.—
(1) The predominance of premature birth, and conditions
classified as debility and marasmus. Between them they accounted
for 40% of the total deaths, and contributed 19.6 deaths per
thousand births towards the infantile mortality rate.
(2) Next to these come Pneumonia and Diarrhoea with 30%
of the total deaths and a contribution of 14.5 per thousand to the
infantile mortality rate.
(3) The influence of prenatal causes is exerted mainly during
the first two months of life, whilst the influence of environment
and nurture, after that time. The causes of death change after
the second month in a quite distinct manner.
(4) Whooping Cough caused 8 deaths. In 1931 it caused 6
deaths. It is a dangerous foe to infant life. There were no deaths
from Measles. In the tabulated deaths of children under one year
of age, the child who died was a first child in 33.8% ; a second child
in 26.0% ; a third child in 11.8% ; a fourth child in 6.3% ; a fifth
child in 7.9% ; a sixth child in 4.7% ; a seventh child in 2.4%; an
eighth in 5.5 ; an eleventh in 0.8% ; and a fourteenth in 0.8%. In
21.1% of total deaths no data were forthcoming owing to the parents
having moved, or the child being a foster child, or for other various
reasons.