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This gives a corrected death-rate of 9.34 per 1,000 of the
population, a decrease of 1.25 on the rate for the previous year,
which was 10.59. This rate is appreciably below that for England
and Wales (11.6 for 1938).
As compared with 1937, there were increases of 12 deaths from
nephritis, 5 from appendicitis, and 3 from syphilis; while there
were decreases of 24 deaths from influenza, 9 from cancer, 16 from
respiratory diseases, and 9 from premature birth, etc.
The most striking feature of the mortality statistics for 1938
is the decrease in the influenza mortality rate, which in turn is
directly associated with the fall in the respiratory death-rate. That
apart, there are no other deviations worthy of special record,
although the fall in cancer deaths, while not in any way significant,
at least makes pleasant reading.
The principle causes of death are shown in Table I on page 13.
Table II, on page 14, sets out the distribution of the deaths
which occurred during the year according to age groups and sex.
From this it will be seen that the age group showing the highest
percentage of deaths was the 65 years and over group, with 58.11.
Next came the group 45-65 years with 26.74 per cent., after which
there was a marked fall to 7.73 per cent. in the age group 25-45.
It will also be noted that the age groups containing those
individuals from birth to 45 years totalled only 15.15 per cent. of
the aggregate deaths.
Infantile Mortality.—There were 24 (1 illegitimate) deaths of
infants under 1 year of age, which gives an infantile death-rate of
31.09 per 1,000 births registered, as compared with 28 deaths and
a rate of 42.55 in the preceding year.
The rate for England and Wales for 1938 was 53.
It will be seen that the infant mortality rate showed a very
definite fall during the year, and that it is still well below that
for England and Wales.
Table III on page 15 subdivides the infant deaths according
to the weeks or months at which they occurred. 45.83 per cent. of
the total deaths occurred during the first month, while 81.81 per
cent. of these occurred during the first week.
It is perhaps worthy of note that the percentage of infant deaths
occurring within the first month has fallen from 67.86 per cent. in
1937, to 45.83 per cent., while the percentage of these deaths which
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