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4
In Table II are set forth the causes of deaths of infants
under one year of age (in weeks and months), from which it will
be seen that 50 per cent. of the deaths were of newly-born infants
in the first week of life, and were due chiefly to premature birth,
congenital defects, debility, and wasting. It should also be noted
in this connection that there were 15 still-births notified.
Theoretically most, and practically some at least, of these
deaths should be preventible ; but there is little evidence in this
Table of any gross ignorance or neglect of personal health or care
for their offspring on the part of the mothers.
This is, however, no reason why our efforts should relax, but
rather the reverse. It is necessary to constantly strive after the
ideal, by constant effort all along the line and from every point of
view. With this aim, it is desirable, in order to help to reduce
the infantile mortality within the first month of life to the lowest
possible rate, that the ante-natal care of prospective mothers should
receive more attention generally than has hitherto usually
obtained. The establishment of a separate ante-natal clinic in
connection with the maternity and child welfare centres as soon
as financially practicable would be of great value.
Senile Mortality.—Among persons of 70 years of age and
over, 84 deaths occurred, and, of these, 31 were 80 years of age
and over. This is a proportion of 27 per cent. of the total number
of deaths at all ages.
Zymotic Mortality.—This includes the deaths from the
seven principal Zymotic diseases, viz.:—Smallpox, Scarlet Fever,
Diphtheria, Enteric Fever, Measles, Whooping Cough, and
Diarrhœa. The rate affords useful evidence as to the general
healthiness of the District, and as to the efficiency of its sanitary
administration. There were 9 deaths from these diseases, as
follows Diphtheria, 4; Whooping Cough, 1; and diarrhoea. 4.
The Zymotic death-rate was therefore 0.23 per 1,000 of the
population, as against 0.12 in the preceding year, 0.12 in 1919
and 0.19 in 1918.
The average rate for the previous 10 years was 0-33.