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2
Distribution
of Deaths
according to
Age.
The following is the distribution of deaths
according to age :-
Under 1 year 11
Over 1 and under 5 4
„ 5 „ 15 1
„ 15 „ 25 0
„ 25 „ 65 13
„ 65 6
There were 5 deaths of people over 80 years
of age (one at 85 and another at 86); these were
all females.
Infant
Death Rate.
I am very pleased to see a falling oft in the
death-rate of infants under 1 year, which stands at
125 per 1,000 births, as compared with 165 per
1,000 births in 1896, and 150.5 per 1,000 births
in 1895.
There is still room for improvement in this
matter, and this can only be attained by the
diffusion of more knowledge in the general care
and dieting of infants amongst mothers, especially
those of the working classes. The Infants' Life
Protection Act, which came into force on January
1st, confers large powers on Boards of Guardians
in dealing with infants put out to nurse.
Whooping Cough caused 3 deaths; acute affections
of the Respiratory Organs, 15; Phthisis,
or Consumption, 6; Cancer, 3; Accident, 1; Suicide
1; Diphtheria, 1; and Influenza, 1.
Cases of
Infectious
Illness notified.
There were notified during the twelve months,
8 cases of Erysipelas, 7 of Diphtheria, 2 of Typhoid
Fever, and 1 of Scarlet Fever : 18 in all.
Of these cases of Infectious Sickness, one
only was fatal, viz., a case of Diphtheria in a child
aged 3; or a death-rate of 0.3 per 1,000 of population.
One of the cases of Diphtheria occurred
in the Sanitary Inspector's own family.
Zymotic
Diseases and
Death Rate.
There were 4 deaths from Zymotic Diseases,
viz.:-3 from Whooping Cough, and 1 from
Diphtheria; or at the rate of 1.1 per 1,000 of
population.