HYDATIDS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 6 November 1926, Page 6

HYDATIDS.

LESS PREVALENT THAN FORMERLY. STATISTICAL DATA. Hydatid disease has never assumed prominence as a cause of death in New Zealand, says the October monthly abstract of statistics compiled by the Census aud Statistics Office; nevertheless its nature and origin have invested it with a certain, amount of interest. Prior to 1882 this disease was not separately recorded in the death statistics, and was presumably first distinguished in that year on account of the number of deaths due to it (seven) being noticeably higher than in preceding years. This number was not again reached, until 1892, from which year onwards deaths from hydatids * increased at a rather rapid rate until 1899, when a total of 22 was recorded. This number has never since been reached, the figures for subsequent years fluctuating with a downward tendency in spite of a steady increase in oopulation. From the figures of deaths the disease would apnenr to be more prevalent in Hawke’s Bay and Otago than in ©the© districts. Several hospitals did not ha-'-e a single case during 1924 and 1925. the most important of these being Whangarei. Thames. Waihi, Westport, and Hokitika.

The nrenondernnce of hydatid "as'es in Clirist'>hnrch, and to a less extent in Dunedin, bv eomnnrison with Auckland nnd Wellington, does not apnear to be confined to 1024 and 102 A. Figures for 1023. referring only to bvdatids of the liver or of undefined site, showed 17 for Christchurch, seven for Dunedin, and none at all for Auckland and Wellington. Tn 1092 Christchurch had 14 eases of hydatids of liver or of undefined site. Dunedin six. Wellington two, and Auckland 1 nil. Christchurch had also four cases of hydatids of lung for this year. Napier, which ranks highest among the secondnrv towns, had four casos in 1023 and the same number in 1022. TTawern had three of hydatids in 102 A and four cases in 1024. Tt would apnear. however that the, disease is more ore valent in the east coast districts of hotb islands than in other marts of the Dominion.