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29
(Table VI.) are examined it will be observed that 10,
i.e. slightly over one-quarter, of the deaths occurred in the
first week of life and that 16, or nearly half the deaths, were
accounted for by Congenital malformations, Atelectasis and
Premature birth and Wasting conditions. This indicates
that something approximating half of the infants who died
were defective from birth. It is evident, therefore, that the
Mortality among infants born healthy is exceedingly low.
Other rather striking facts are that there were only 2
deaths from Diarrhoea, Gastritis and Enteritis, and 5 from
Bronchitis and Pneumonia.
THE GENERAL DEATH RATE is again very low
though not the lowest recorded. It is probable that we have
reached about the low-water mark in death-rate, which
obviously cannot fall indefinitely, however much health may
improve. It is not unlikely that it may begin to rise. The
combination of a low birth-rate and a low death-rate will
eventually bring about a condition of things in which a larger
proportion of the population will be in the older groups, in
which deaths is, of course, most frequent. This tendency
may possibly be counteracted in this district, however, by a
constant immigration of people in young adult life.
The number of deaths from Acute Infectious Disease is
again very low. There were no deaths from Measles. Only
1 death from Scarlet Fever occurred, out of 134 cases notified.
This death took place in the Isolation Hospital in which
97 cases were treated.
There were 3 deaths from Diphtheria out of 114 cases
notified, representing a case mortality of 2.63. These deaths
all took place in the Isolation Hospital in which 96 cases were
treated.
A very striking feature of the death returns (see Table V.
and the Chart shewing a comparison of 10 of the principal
causes of death) is that deaths from Violence occupy 3rd place
on the list, while Phthisis (Pulmonary Tuberculosis) takes
7th place. In the 2 previous years the positions were exactly
reversed.