View report page

— 13 —
The causes of deaths of infants in 1924 are indicated in
Table III, in which they are compared with those in the previous
seven years. The small number compared with previous years
is due to a reduction principally in the deaths from atrophy, debility
and marasmus, bronchitis and pneumonia. Table IIIa shows
the ages at death up to one year old. Of the 46 deaths, 23, or
half of the total, occurred under 4 weeks old, and 13, or a little
over a quarter, under a week old. It is thus apparent that among
the children dying under one year a large number commence
life considerably handicapped as regards vitality.
The illegitimate infant death-rate of 97.5 is much lower than
in the previous year when it was 191.5 per 1,000 births. It is,
however, in marked contrast to the legitimate death-rate, which
is 44.7 per 1,000 births.