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7
INFANT MORTALITY.
The rate of this mortality or the proportion of deaths under I
year to every 1000 births is 158.9, which is 52.5 higher than last
year, and 23.4 higher than the average of the last 10 years and
the highest since 1904. In analysing the causes of these deaths I
find that 25 deaths were caused by diarrhoea, 16 of which occurred
in August, 5 were due to measles, 9 were premature
births, 6 were caused by congenital defects and 5 to weakness from
birth. I feel convinced that many of these lives might have been
saved if greater care in the feeding had been observed and I would
submit that a Woman Health Visitor, whose duty it would be to
visit poor mothers from child birth, and instruct them in the care
and feeding of their infants would do much to reduce this heavy
mortality.

The following are the deaths from the principal Zymotic
diseases.
SMALL POX.—None.
MEASLES.—A very severe outbreak of measles commenced in
May, and did not abate until September, causing 26 deaths, viz.:
in January, 1; May, 4; June, 4; July, 10; and August, 7. I am
afraid parents fail to recognise the gravity of this disease of childhood
and take no precaution either of isolating the sufferers or even
preventing them from mixing freely with the rest of the family or
keeping them from school.
SCARLET FEYER.—Has caused no deaths although many
cases have been notified.
WHOOPING COUGH.—There were many cases in the earlier
part of the year and 3 deaths were registered.
DIPHTHERIA AND MEMBRANOUS CROUP.—One death
only was recorded. Many cases were notified but with the free and
early use of antitoxin, which is supplied free to Medical Practitioners,
for the use of the inhabitants of the Town, the mortality from this
disease, which used to be considered one of the most deadly has
practically disappeared.
TYPHUS FEYER.—None. There has been no case recorded
for several years, and with the improved sanitary conditions I do not
expect ever to see another case.