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Comments on the Registrar-General's Table of Total Deaths by
Cause and Age and Sex.
The chief cause of death, as in previous years, both in males
and females, was Heart Disease, and its heaviest incidence was in
ages over 45 years. The next important cause of death was Cancer,
which resembled Heart Disease in causing most deaths in females
and in its highest incidence after 45 years. Pneumonia also
exa-cted a heavy toll with a higher incidence in males. The age
period 5-25 showed the lowest number of deaths from this cause.
The fatality of Pneumonia during the first year of life should be
noted. With the exception of the group of conditions, Congenital
Debility, Premature Birth, Malformation, etc., and Diarrhoea, it
was the greatest cause of death at this age. Other illuminating
and important causes of death are Other Circulatory Diseases and
Tuberculosis, which was more fatal in the male sex, and which,
in both sexes, caused the highest numlber of deaths in the young
adult age period of 15-35 years and was the greatest cause of death
among the young adult population. It is interesting to note that
as in 1937, the death incidence in women was greatest in the 15-25
year group. In men the highest incidence was in the older groups
25-55. Deaths from violence were more numerous in men but
were less than in 1937. Cerebral Haemorrhage and Nephritis were
a more usual cause of death in women than men, whilst Digestive
diseases, including Peptic Ulcer, fell more heavily on men.
Comparisons with 1937.
There was a fall in the deaths from the Zymotic diseases excluding
Typhoid Fever and Diphtheria. In 1938 there were 8
deaths from Measles and 3 from Scarlet Fever. Whooping Cough
caused 3 deaths and Diphtheria 16 deaths. The deaths from Pulmonary
Tuberculosis decreased by 19 in 1938. The number of
deaths attributed to Cancer totalled 387 compared with 432 in 1937.
Deaths from Heart Disease increased by 7. Pneumonia deaths
showed a decrease of 49, and those due to Bronchitis a decrease of
1. Deaths from Digestive Diseases, including Appendicitis,
increased by 33. Deaths from Suicide and Violence decreased from
132 to 121.
The percentage of deaths under 1 year of age to total deaths
was 5.4%. Deaths under 15 years, 8.5%; deaths under 65 years,
45.0%; deaths over 65 years, 55.0%. The corresponding figures for
1937 were 7.0%, 10.6%, 47.2%, and 52.8%.