LOWER STILL.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 136, 11 June 1929, Page 5

LOWER STILL.

INFANT MORTALITY RATE.

PHENOMENAL RECORD.

NEVER equalled anywhere

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, this day. The latest "Abstract of Statistics" shows that in 1928 there were only 984 deaths of infants under one year old. This is an improvement of 9 per cent on the previous year.

The death rate per 1000 of live births fell from 38.74 in 1927 to 30.18 in 1028. This is a phenomenally low level, never hitherto reached in New Zealand or elsewhere.

A heavy reduction lias taken place in the infant mortality rate after the first month of life, as compared with that effected in the very early periods. It would appear, therefore (says the "Ab--stract"), that 011 the one hand the diseases that can be combated openly, such as epidemic diseases, respiratory diseases, and diseases due to faulty nourishment, etc. (i.e., diseases of the digestive system), have shown a definite response to the strenuous campaigns launched against them, while, on the other hand, many infants evidently non-viable at birth stand little chance of survival.

The diseases responsible for the greatest number of infant deaths in each year of the period 1924 to 1028 are contained in the two groups, "congenital malformations," and "diseases peculiar to early infancy." For the aggregate of the live years these two groups accounted for (JO per cent of the total infant deaths. The diseases coining under these headings are all of natal origin, and to their door can be traced the heavy mortality rate of infants under one month of age. Moreover, the fairly consistent lev.el maintained by both groups throughout the period, with a tendency to increase upon the part of "congenital malformations," accdunts principally for the obstinacy of the "under one month" group towards the reductive measures strenuously prosecuted.

The substantial decrease in 1928 just referred to is not reflected in any appreciable decline in the mortality rate of infants under one month. Very conspicuous is the increase in deaths from premature birth and birth injuries, all of which are under three months of ape, while the great majority of the deaths from birth injuries (on which the greatest increase Is recorded) occur before one month has been survived.