Accidents, Cancer, And Heart Disease Cause Most Deaths

Press, Volume C, Issue 29680, 25 November 1961, Page 13

Accidents, Cancer, And Heart Disease Cause Most Deaths

(NJU Press Assoctottoa;

WELLINGTON, Nov. 24. Accidents, qgncer and heart disease were the top killers in New Zealand last year. Accidents were the most common cause of death among those up to the age of 24, cancer headed the list for those from 25 to 44, and heart disease killed most of those after the age of 45. These figures are given in an analysis compiled by the Department of Health medical statistics branch. The most striking disease phenomenon over the last 30 years has been the steady rise, particularly among males, of cancer involving the respiratory system. On the other hand there has been a steady decrease in mortality from respiratory tuberculosis. In 1935 the male death rate from tuberculosis was 343 per million and the death rate from cancer was 39 per million. In 1960 the respective figures were 48 and 296. New Cases About 5000 new cases of cancer are registered each year, and about 10,000 patients receive treatment in hospitals for malignant conditions. There has been a gradual improvement in the over-all cancer survival picture since 1900. Today, better treatment and better case finding, backed by professional and lay education and public health efforts combine to improve the survival rate. While cancer is undoubtedly on the increase, it is not rising out of proportion to the population exposed to the cancer risk. The upward trend in the total male death rate can be ascribed chiefly to the increase in lung and bronchus cancer. The total female rate has declined in recent years. Stomach cancer is on the decline in both sexes. The large intestine, another leading site of the disease shows declining rates in both sexes There is also a downward trend in cancer of the breast and uterus, two of

the leading sites in women. There is a slight tendency for leukaemia and lymphosarcoma to increase. Accidents to Children Last year in toe pre-ecbool group up to the age of four there were 7B deaths by accident, including 25 involving motor vehicles, 20 from drowning. and 11 from burns and scalds. Influenza, pneumonia, and bronhitis acounted for 42 of the totals of 291 deaths in this group. Maori children’s deaths were 32 per cent, of the total. There were 217 deaths of children between toe ages of five and 14. with accidents far outnumbering other causes. Again motor-vehicles were first in the list of accident causes. Cancer, accounted for 49 deaths. In the next age group, up to 24, accidenta were still the worst killer, with motor vehicles accounting for 101 of the 169 deaths. Cancer was in second place against causing 29 deaths in

this age group. There were 14 suicides. The total number of deaths in this age group was 303. From 25 to 44 yearn the chief cause of death was cancer— 227. There wore 198 deaths from accMaote. 67 of them involving motor vehicles, and 30 from drowning. Heart disease killed 140. There were 79 suicides, 22 maternal deaths and 19 from tubertutoeta. The total was 1938. From 45 to 88, heart disease of various types was toe cause ot the largest number of deaths—l6sB. Cancer caused 1041, cerebral hemorrhage 414, accidenta 180, and influenza, pneumonia and bronchitis 140. There were 96 suicides and a total of 4351 deaths Heart disease again heeded toe Met for those 85 and over with 5371 deaths. Accidents accounted for only 367 in this group. The total number ot deaths ot people over 65 was 13,274.