VITAL STATISTCS

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 2307, 27 November 1925, Page 5

VITAL STATISTCS

FIGURES FOB 1834. A LOW DEATH BATE. 1,1 ■ \ The annual report on vital statistics for 1924, which has Just been published by the Government statistician, ranges from birth to death over a veritable field of diseases. The figures supplied are of peculiar interest . During the year under review 28,014 children were born alive, representing 21.57 per 1000 of mean population. This number was 47, or .17 per cent higher than that for the previous year—an exceedingly low rate almost as low as that of 1919, which was of course, very seriously affected by the absence of men at the war, as well as by the influenza epidemic. Of the infants registered, 14,295 were males and 13,719 females. In the case of first-borns, 1042 males were born to every 1000 females. Among illegitimate children (nearly all firstborns), the rate was 1037 to 1000. Thera were 296 cases of twins, and three cases of triplets. In 77 cases of twin births, both children were males in 108 both were females, the twins being of opposite sexes in the romaing 111 cases.

The births of 1338 Illegitimate children were registered, this malting 48 in every 1000 born, a proportion slightly higher than was the case in any of the proceeding ten years. Marriages. There were 10,259 marriages, or 189 more than celebrated in the pre. vious year. This gives a rate of 7.90 per 1000, which is considerably below the average for the ten years pre. ceding the war. Wednesday was by far the most popular day for marriage. In 8708 cases neither party had before been married. Out of every 1000 marriages, 28 persons were described as being widowed, and 04 divorced.

Pour per cent of the bridegrooms and 18 per cent of the brides, were under 21 years of age. Four bridegrooms Were between only 17 and 18 years of age, and 47 between 18 and 19, while one of the brides had not attained her fifteenth birthday, seven were between 15 and 16 ,and 48 between 16 and 17. On the other hand, 710 bridegrooms and 340 brides were over 45 years of age. However, people still marry fairly young, for of the total 62 per cent of the bridegrooms and 70 per cent of the brides were under 30. Deaths. There were 10,77 deaths, showing the substantial decrease of 744 as compered with the previous year. This is equal to 5.29 per cent of popu. lation .which is the lowest ever re. in the Dominion. The opinion is expressed that the succession of extremely low death rates year after year since 1920 would indicate that a new level has been reached, low r er than would a few years ago be considered possible, with the age-consti-tution of the population ever increasing. A preponderance over female deaths occurs in all age groups, even between the ages of 20 and 40, in spite of the fact that ot this period the effects' of child-bearing are felt in the female numbers.

The number of infantile deaths under one year was 1127. The Infantile mortality rate was 40.23 per 1000 live births, the lowest yet recorded. And 60 per cent of these deaths occurred within the first month of life. The rate of deaths among those who survived the first month had declined from 62.70 per cent in 1881-1885 to only 16.68 In 1924. Tuberculosis. A further continuation of the downward trend in the Incidence of tuberculosis of the respiratory system is exceedingly gratifying wnen it is considered that tuberculosis Is one of :he leading causes of death. The 1924 death rate for this disease was 4.41, which i a an improvement of 9.3 per cent over the figure for 1923 (4.86). This reduction is all the more remarkable when it is taken into account that the tuberculosis death rate for 1923 was then the lowest on record. Of the 573 deaths nales contributed 305 and females 268.

Cancer Increasing. Tuberculosis other than of the respiratory System was responsible for 163 deaths in 1924, or 10 less than those so classified in the previous /ear. Eighty-three of the deaths .-/ere ascribed to tuberculosis men.ngltis. 12 to tuberculosis of the inestines and peritoneum, 20 to tuber, julosis of the vertabral column, 7 to tuberculosis of the joints, and 29 to iisseminated tubGrculosis. A.l3doniin&l tuberculosis is the only form of mbercular disease which regularly 5 as higher death.rate among females han among males. Of those who .vho died from tuberculous meningiis, 7 were under one year of ag, 33 m'der five years, and 21 between the ■ ges of five and fifteen. A considerable increase- in the number of deaths from cancer was ecorded in 1924, when the comparan'ely large total of 1245 was reached, ialignant tumours were the second cause of death in numerical importance the only group having a higher death-rate being “diseases of the icart" The death.rate (9.59) is the ugliest ever experienced in the Dominion,, and is 9.6 pr cent higher „han in the preceding year. One death in every six of women, and one death in every seven of men over the age of forty, is from cancer. As a result of an endeavour to separate :he various types of malignant growths it was found that out of the = otai of 1245 deaths from malignant tumours in 1924, 778 were due to sarcinoraa, 54 to sarcoma, and 34 to epithelioma, while “cancer” not other•mro defined was the cause of 280 deaths. Diseases of the Heart. Although heart-disease still easily maintains first position as regards numerical importance it is very gratifying to note a substantial decrease of 165 in the number during the year. The total number of deaths from the various affections of the heart wofa 1858, corresponding to a rate of 14.31 per 10,000 of jnean population, and constituting 17 peer cent of the total Apart from the; usual number

of deaths of persons over sixty-five years of age, there were, in 1924, 84 under twenty years of age and 101 between the ages of twenty and forty years. The age data fox heart disease reflect the wear-ond.tear, or senility factor, In human mortality, and this is further accentuated from the information relating to contributory causes,, which shows that in lb 3 cases of deaths from heart-disease senility was shown as a secondary cause of death . That the various diseases of the lungs have some considerable effect in 1 hastening death from heart-disease is disclosed from the figures fox 1924, which show that these diseases were -a contributory cause of death with heart-disease in 215 cases (bronchitis, 81; congestion of the lungs, 62; pneumonia, 81; asthma, 31).