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The death rate for the Central Ward, which has been consistently the
highest since separate statistics were compiled, is a reflection of the
high average age of the population in that part of the district, it being
the oldest. Further confirmation of this is provided by the relatively
higher rate for that Ward of deaths from cancer, which is a disease of
adult life.
CAUSES OF DEATH.
Heart Disease.
This group of diseases, which of all causes is responsible for more
deaths than any other, accounted for approximately a quarter of the
total. Since this disease is mainly one of late adult life, it is likely
to assume increasing prominence as the main cause of death so long
as the normal expectation of life continues to increase. In conformity
with past experience, something approaching 90 per cent. of
these deaths were in persons over 55 years of age. The majority can
be regarded as inevitable, resulting from natural wear and tear.
Those associated with infective conditions, particularly those of the
rheumatic fever type and not primarily degenerative, numbered 8 out
of a total of 104.
Cancer.
The efforts made to combat this formidable disease, as reflected in
its mortality statistics, have to contend with two factors—the detection
of more cases of the disease in the less obvious sites as the result of
improved methods of diagnosis, and the fact that as the increased
expectation of life demonstrates, more and more people survive to an
age which is more prone to cancer. Like heart disease, cancer is
chiefly a condition of advanced age.
During the year, 68 deaths were recorded, 40 in males and 28 in
females, giving a death rate for this disease of 1.15 per thousand,
compared with 1.05 in the year before. For the second year in
succession there was a preponderance of mortality amongst males.
Until 1938 the reverse had been the case. Upon examination it is
found that this change is largely accounted for by the greater number
of deaths in males due to cancer of the digestive system. Deaths
from disease in this site were, during the last two years, more than
twice as common in males than in females. It would be helpful to
know how far there has been an actual relative increase in digestive
cancer amongst males and how far there may have been more accurate
diagnosis of disease of this deep-seated type.
The mortality in the individual Wards is given below:—