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11
It will be noticed that of the local deaths 57.8 per cent of those of males
were persons of 65 and over; of 75 and over 30.3 and in fact of 85 or over
8.2. The corresponding figures for females were 72.7, 57.6 and 17.2. Of
local residents who died last year 31 per cent, had reached the age of 75,
and 12 per cent, had reached the age of 85.
Infant Mortality
The infant mortality rate is the number of infants dying under
one year of age per thousand born. It is one of the vital statistics of
special interest because it has for long been accepted as an index ot the
healthiness of the community, being influenced by so many of the factors
which affect the health of the population.
The infant mortality rate for the country as a whole was about
150 in the early years of the century. The local rates have for many
years been very satisfactory. The figure has not been over 25 since
1948.
Last year 47 infants living in this district or born to mothers
ordinarily resident in this district died under one year of age. In the
same year 2,755 infants were born. The infant mortality rate was
therefore 17.6. The rate for the country as a whole was 24.9.
Of these 47 deaths, 33 occurred in infants under one month old.
The neo-natal rate was therefore 12-0, comprising 70 per cent, of the
infant mortality rate. The mothers of only four of these infants had
been confined in their own homes, all the others being delivered in
hospitals. Of the hospital cases, deaths were due to birth injury in 8,
to prematurity in 9, to asphyxia in 1, atelectasis 1 and congenital defect
10. The deaths of those who died at home were due to congenital
defects.
Although four of the 14 deaths of those survived one month but who
failed to survive twelve months were due to development abnormalities,
the increasing extent to which environmental factors play their part in
causing fatalities is shown by the fact that broncho-pneumonia, enteritis
and other infections caused seven deaths.
Stillbirths
50 stillbirths were registered last year. This was a rate per thousand
Population of 0.28 and a rate per thousand live and stillbirths of 17-8.
The rate per thousand births for the country as a whole was 23.1.
Of the 44 stillbirths about which particulars are known, 38 were to
mothers confined in hospital, two in nursing homes and four to mothers
delivered in their own homes. In a number of instances some state of
'he mother brought about the death of the foetus usually before term.
In 9 cases the mother suffered from toxaemia of pregnancy and in 5 she
had ante-partum hæmorrhage. In 3 other instances the foetus died before
labour. 10 of the losses were associated with a difficult labour. In
seven others the infant was alive at the beginning of an apparently normal
labour. Stillbirths occurred to three mothers who had had previous
miscarriages, and one stillbirth was of a twin. In four cases the infant
suffered from congenital abnormalities, and in the remaining two
deliveries took place prematurely, the reason for the onset not being
known.