HEALTH OF THE PEOPLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19730, 1 September 1927, Page 10

HEALTH OF THE PEOPLE.

DOMINION'S DEATH RATE. LOWEST IN THE WORLD. SAVING LIVES OF INFANTS. SMALL RATE .OF MORTALITY. [BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Wednesday "New Zealand can congratulate itself on the fact that the -death rate and the infantile mortality rate in New Zealand are the lowest in, the world, that the incidence of enteric fever has been reduced to a phenomenal degree, that the death rate frord tuberculosis is the second or third lowest in the world, and that the New Zealand infant at birth has an expectation of life greater than he would have in any other country, ' says the annual report of the Health Department, presented to Parliament to-day. "At the same time," continues the report, "we, as other countries, are ever confronted with formidable problems of preventive medicine. More knowledge of the Jaws of health and the nature of disease is required, and such knowledge must be passed on to the public. The department is endeavouring to meet the situation by actively encouraging research »nd the education of the public in health matters. Personal disregard of the laws of health results in much invalidity and many- premature deaths. "Our vital statistics for tho past year may be considered satisfactory. The crudte (actual) death rate, 8.74 per 1000 of mean population, is still comparatively low, although it shows a slight increase over the rate of 8.29 for the previous year. The increase was due principally to the epidemics of whooping cough and influenza. However, this rate is in line with the remarkable succession of lowrates established in recent years. Of the notifiable diseases scarlet fever, diphtheria and pneumonic influenza showed an increased incidence, and particularly pneumonic influenza, with a notification rate of 4.73 per 10,000 mean population, in comparison with 0.52 for 1925.

"The death rate per 10,000 mean population for tuberculosis was 5.37. As with South Africa and Australia we have a very much lower death rate than other countries, and although the death rate does not show a/ definite tendency to increase the fight against- this scourge must b'e more vigorously continued. Consideration is being given to the treatment of tuberculosis by the hospital boards and the report of their association on this disease is awaited with interest. The number of J "Jiths from tuberculosis in • was 727, compared with 684 in 1925." " z .

j A DECREASE IN BIRTIIS. LOW RECORD LAST YEAR. LESS MATERNAL MORTALITY. [BI TELEGRAPH. SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Wednesday. Last year's figures, 21.05 per 1000 of mean population, was the lowest birth rate ever recorded 1 in New Zealand, the living births'registered being 28,473, as against 28,153 in 1925. The 1925 rate was 21.17. These figures are given in the annual report of the Health Department, presented to Parliament to-day. The report said: the falling rate was a matter of considerable concern. ; The rate of still births, 31.1 per 1000 live births, showed an increase, the 1925 figure being 30.'6. The infant mortality rate was 39.76 per 1000 live births, and the report describes the achievement of such a phenomenally low infant death rate as a record for New* Zealand and also for the world. Although one year's figures could hardly be taken as a true indication of the future trend of the rate, it was nevertheless* encouraging to note that the 1926 record figure had been entirely produced- by a reduction' in the deaths during the first, three months of life The rate for the following nine months had, in fact, increased in the year under review. 1 . The initiation of intensive activities on behalf of expectant mothers, the establishment of ante-natal clinics and closer supervision of maternity hospitals had contributed toward the decrease of 0.89 which the maternal mortality rate had shown since 1922. There was a gratifying reduction in maternal mortality during 1926, the rate having dropped to 4.25 per 1000 live births. The figure during the period 1880 to 2885 rose from 3.93 to 7.31, and then dropped to 4.23 in 1889. /In 1894 it was 5.29. in 1898 it was 3.84, in 1903 5.86, in 1907 3.88, in 1909 5.09, in 1913 3.58, and in 1920 6.48. A table accompanying the report shows that after making allowance for the fact that the birth rate in the urban areas is slightly lower than in the rest of the Dominion, the maternal death rate in the latter from ths' principal maternal causes is considerably greater than in the urban area. "It would seem, therefore," says the report, "that, in order to reduce maternal deaths mpst attention must be given to the non-urban areas." A table dealing with deaths' from puerperal causes in various countries shows that New Zealand's puerperal depth rate is still relatively hisrh. due less to puerperal septicaemia deaths than to deaths , from other "puernei •»] causes. The report considers New Zealand can considerably reduce her puerperal death rate, but the distribution rf the population renders that task more difficult.