INFANT DEATHS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 205, 31 August 1933, Page 22

INFANT DEATHS.

RISING GERMAN RATE. LEAGUE GROUP FIGURES. GENERAL MARRIAGE DECLINE ■ The current volume of the League of ! Nations' statistical year book, which recently appeared, shows that infant ■ mortality increased by 75 per cent in > Germany iu 1932, suddenly attaining a I figure exceeding even that of the iml mediate post-war period. The continuance of the depression proved only less fatal to infants m : Hungary and Lithuania. The rate increased slightly in the United States and the Irish Free' State, was steady in England and France, and declined jn Spain.' The most important figures available, indicating the number of. deaths per thousand, follow:— Nation 1921-25 1931 1932 France 83 143 Germany 1-- 16 2 lge Hungary 187 10Lithuania lf>7 71 Irish Free State .... <>9- ;J An United States J* l '- ,-g United Kingdom .... 78 OS Authorities such as Dr. Louis Dublin, of New York, a member of the League s committee investigating the effects of the depression on public health, deem the infant mortality rate the most sensitive indicator of conditions. They call the above figures the most ominous evidence yet received, on the German situation. Another table in the year book shows the depression causing, in all of the few countries for which figures are available, a considerable decrease i;i marriages. The United States here leads with a lb per cent decline from her peak of 1,232,559 in prosperous 1929 to 1,060,004 in 1931. No figure is given for 1932, though other nations then suffered a still larger decline. Figures for other nations follow: — Nation. i Franco 355.000 325,308 314, S7S Hungary 75,000 76,354 70,448 Italy f.. 300 830 270,740 208,330 U. Kingdom 330,258 351,438 340,422 The Italian decline is considered especially noteworthy in view of the Fascist propaganda for a greater population.