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(live and still) births was nil, there being no deaths in this category
during 1947. In 1946 there were 6 deaths with a corresponding rate
of 4.82.
It is pleasing to record that no maternal deaths occurred during
the year. Although this is satisfactory, the fall has very little
significance, bearing in mind the very few cases involved. None the
less, the saving of the lives of six women following childbirth is very
pleasing to record. All maternal deaths are carefully investigated.
Where any preventable cause is ascertained, the matter is immediately
followed up.
Mortality of "Toddlers".—Eight deaths occurred amongst
children of the age group 1—5 years during 1947. This represents
a death-rate of 0.11 per 1,000 of the population, and 0.95 per cent.
of the total deaths for the year at all ages. In 1946 there were 5
deaths giving a death-rate of 0.07 and a percentage of 0.56.
Mortality of Persons over the Age of 65.—560 or 66.98 percent,
of the total deaths during the year were persons over the age
of 65. Of these, 157 died between the ages of 80 and 90, while a
further 31 were over the latter age (12 males, the eldest being 98,
and 19 females, the eldest being 100).
Once again diseases of the heart and circulatory system were
responsible for the majority of deaths of elderly persons in the
district. This is not in itself a bad sign, as it at least means that
many people are living to the age when such degenerative conditions
are a natural sequal to advancing years. Medical science can still
offer a limited service in the direction of eliminating these degenerative
processes; but much is being and will continue to be done to
delay their final effect for as long as possible.
Zymotic Mortality (including deaths from the seven principal
zymotic diseases, viz. : smallpox, scarlet fever, diphtheria, typhoid
fever, measles, whooping cough and diarrhoea (in children under
2 years of age)).—There were 3 deaths in this category, 1 from
measles and 2 from infantile diarrhoea.
The zymotic death-rate for the year was therefore 0.040 per
1,000 of the population, as compared with 3 deaths and a rate of
0.041 in 1946.
Once again diptheria does not appear as a cause of death during
the year. Only one death occurred from measles, while pertussis was
also absent from the list, revealing the change in virulence of those
diseases. Altogether, the zymotic death rate is very satisfactory,
and is an index of the high standard of resistance towards the common
infectious diseases.
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