HEALTH OF NEW ZEALAND

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21258, 1 September 1934, Page 14

HEALTH OF NEW ZEALAND

i ♦ | FURTHER FALL IN j DEATH RATE 1 ABSENCE OF EPIDEMICS I j INCREASING MOKTAI.ITY PKOYI 1 ! lIEAKT DISEASE ) i [From Our Parliamentary .Reporter.'! ' WELLINGTON. August 31. 5 A further fall in the death rale ■ is the most interesting feature of the ■ annual report of the Department of i Health, laid on the table in the • House of Representatives to-day. The ; figure for 1933—-7.9« per 1000 mean . population—was the lowest so far recorded in New Zealand. On the other hand, the report reveals a continuation of the steady decline in the birth rate. The figure now stands at 1(3.59 per 1000. This, of course. ' is to some extent compensated for by the exceptionally low percentage of deaths, and it is slated thai New Zealand stilt ranks comparatively high among the nations m the natural increase of population. The mean population of the Dominion for 1933, exclusive of Maoris. was estimated at 1,406,930. This total represented an increase over the previous year of 10,693, or a percentage increase of population of, 0.73. During the vear there were 24.234 births and 11,701 deaths, the difference, or natural increase, being 12,633. A loss during the year in the migration balance accounted for i the apparent disparity in population i increase. j The very low general eharh r-...•. : the report adds, is very gratifying ! The figure is so low as to :uipr:.e' eminent statisticians. j Infectious Diseases j A review of the figures shows thai , freedom from virulent attacks of i infectious diseases has been Ihe priu ! cipal factor contributing to Ihe re- ; duct ion of the rate in (he last. fivi. ; years. Some of these?, such as diph- | Iberia, scarlet fever, measles, and j whooping cough, have a cyclical epidemic tendency at intervals of rev- ; era! years. During the hist 50 year. epidemics of these four; diseases have occurred with regular; frequency, there has been a remar; - ' able reduction throughout that period in the mortality from (ho.a-; ! causes, and during the last five yeai. i that reduction had been maintained There; has been a similar reduction." in the mortality from typhoid fevi r, diarrhoea, and enteritis, and pub ; monary diseases of an infectious na- ' tare, including tuberculosis. Less can be said concerning in-! fluen/a, if we include the pandemic' of 1913-19 as ordinary influenza, o !do not attribute its then exalted, ! virulence to world-war im-io'"; . . ! Since 1919 we have o'cperionri'd endemics of influenza with severe' bui not serious effects. Preparedness at all timess to deal with a loesl nut-. break eif this disease is. o| n .nr...-. I necessary. There has been no serious epidemic of infantile paralysis since. 192 a. There have' he-em manv mild > cases of this disease presenting systemic symptoms, but Jiille actual paralysis has occurred. Motor-car Accidents In 1932 the death rate from \ ;.»■ leiie'o reached its peak. In 1931 this was found to be: mainly attributable to motor-ear accidents. In the two succeeding years it has dropped considerably. In 1932 death:.; from suicide- increased to 240: but last year they dropped to I'uu. which'', represents the average rate lor ■ deaths from this causes It is imdesstood that motor-car mileage' ha.greatly reduced in Ihe la.-l "t". < years. It is of interest to note thai is : year there: was a substantial drop r , the death rate fremi "apoplexy" and "diseases of arteries."' Whether <■. iit>t this is attributable lo re-eiue'ed luxury and speed is a mailer oi speculative interest. Outstanding exceptions to an otherwise imprn\ ing table are increasing death rale.-

from heart disease and cancer, par ticularly the former. The heart, disease rate shows a defmile and considerable increase in Ihe live-yea! period and the cancel' rati; a slight j one. In both instances the increasing i length of life may be included a.- a contributing cause. Cancel', owing; perhaps to its invasive and dread : effects, lias captured public senli- 1 merit in many countries, and much ; thought and money are applied to' research into its cause and treat.-; ment. Heart disease, however, is nearly twice as fatal. Deaths from Heart Disease i Certain' diseases, such as riieu- ; mat.ic fever, diphtheria, and other j common infectious diseases, as well j as syphilis, are regarded as predis- j posing to heart and arterial disease, j yet despite the known reduction in I the virulence of these diseases in [ New Zealand heart disease continues j to take an increasing toll of human j lives. Statistically, it is a very pro- ! minent, figure in the death rate pic- | ture. being the cause of 300IJ deaths ! in a'total of 11,701 last year. Heart! disease, apoplexy, and diseases of : arteries accounted jointly for 402(1 ; deaths in the grand total of 11.071, j or 34 per cent, of the whole. This percentage appears to be increasing i year by year. "This is surely an important Held for investigation by the department. medical practitioners, life insurance ; companies, and the genera! public," ! says the report. "In New Zealand ■ the average expectation of life at l birth is now C2 years. Although this . constitutes a world's record, prnb- . ably it can be lengthened, and the , magnitude of these figures for heart , and arterial diseases marks them out as worthy of special attention." j tions were enforced because of this. When I advocated that, restriction , of profits should be applied lo all: companies during the war, I 10ur,.! :' myself in the cooler. Mr Armstrong added tha< 'lie Woolston Tanneries funned u splendid example to other concerns. Tikcompany was a good employer and ' no shoddy was turned out of the;' factory. j J When (he report was laid on the! table, Mr Sullivan asked the j , Speaker if any significance could be i attached to the recommendations, ( or whether the Government was ; not bound to accept them. The . Speaker explained that, the report ; d'.f! not commit the House in any i way. c