INFANT MORTALITY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22295, 22 June 1934, Page 10

INFANT MORTALITY

EXPECTATION OF LIFE INTERESTING FIGURES (Special to Daily Times.) WELLINGTON, Juno 21. J Interesting figures relating to infant mortality, the death rate of children and the expectation of life in New Zealand were presented by Dr Ada Paterson, director of the Division of School Hygiene, Department of Health, at the annual meeting of the Wellington branch of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children. "It is to be seen," said Dr Paterson, " that the infant mortality rate for the year 1933 is 31.00 per 1000 live births. This is a trifle higher than for 1932, which was 31.22, but is still an incredibly low figure as judged by the experience of only a few years ago. It is interesting to note that in a report to the Medical Research Counci l of Britain Dr William Brend gave it as his opinion that the irreducible figure for infant mortality was 25 per 1000 live births. Though New Zealand has not y,et reached it, the low figure for infant mortality in New Zealand 'in recent years indicates that our irreducible minimum is certainly below 25. We must, of course, recognise that -, an irreducible minimum does exist, and that the most enlightened efforts in ensuring good conditions of nurture for infants cannot, entirely eradicate inherited weaknesses and imperfections. It is interesting, too, to find that Now Zealand's vital statistics other than those referring to infant mortality warrant some optimism. The death rate per 1000 children between one and five years declined from 6.17 in 1901 to 2.74 in 1932. The death rate per 1000 between the ages of five years and under 15 declined from 1.77 in 1901 to 1.04 in 1932. Our tuberculosis death rate per 10,000 of mean population, which, incidentally, is the lowest in the world, for 1933 equals 4.10, as against 4.22 for 1932. Our general deatb rate per 1000 of mean population in 1933 was 7.98. as against 8.02 in 1932. The expectation of life for which New Zealand holds the world's record was, according to the last figures of the Government Statistician, 62.76 years for men and 65.43 years for women. " Taking, therefore, a comprehensive view of the available evidence we have with regard to our national well-being some justification for a feeling of pride mingled with gratitude."