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49
It will be noticed that for the first four years the
average number of deaths was 28, but that in 1918 the
totals went up to 59. It was during 1918 that the
epidemic of influenza was so severe, and though these
deaths from Pneumonia were not stated to be directly
the result of Influenza, there can be no doubt but that a
large proportion of them were so due.
In 1919 the number has approximated very closely
to the previous average.
Infantile Mortality.
Daring 1919 the number of deaths of children
under one year of age was 38, between 1 year and 2
years 12, and between 2 years and 5 years 19 as compared
with 50, 20 and 18 during 1918.
The death rate for children under 1 year per 1,000
births is 56.71 as compared with 75.75 for 1918, and
with 74.4 for the past 10 years.
This is the lowest figure that has ever been reached
iu this district, the nearest approach to it having been
58 in 1916.
During the 10 years 1895—1904 the infantile
mortality rate averaged 132.6, with a maximum of 200
in 1898, and a minimum of 93.6 in 1903.
During the five years 1905—1909 the average was
83.71 ; during the five years 1910—1914 it was 76.19,
and for the last five years 1915—1919 (including this
vear) it was 68.33.
The decrease has been fairly steady during the last
15 years, and this decrease and the figure reached this
year are very gratifying.
Another point which may be noted is that out of
the 38 deaths which occurred during the year only one
took place between the ages of 6 and 12 months. The
remaining 37 took place before the child had reached the
age of 6 months, 29 occurring during the first four weeks
of life. Now that our Antenatal Clinic and Infant