H.—3l

XXX

Stating the result in another way, there was one death from premature birth to every 66 births in 1905, and one death from congenital defect to every 578 births. In England the proportion of deaths from premature birth to every 1,000 births was as high as 19-93 in the year 1900. OLD AGE. Deaths from old age in 1905 numbered 578, against 470 in 1904. MORTALITY FROM LOCAL DISEASES. Deaths by diseases of the nervous system were 913, or 11-33 out of every 100 deaths from all pauses, and 10-49 out of every 10,000 persons living. Of the 913 deaths, 299 were due to apoplexy, 121 to convulsions, and 119 to inflammation of the brain and its membranes. Paralysis, including hemiplegia and paralysis of the insane, caused 172 deaths, and locomotor ataxia 10 deaths. Paraplegia, with diseases of the spinal cord, caused 33 deaths. Deaths from nervous diseases (excluding convulsions of children) numbered 792, or 9 - 10 per 10,000 persons living. Diseases of the circulatory system resulted in 1,014 deaths, being 12-58 out of every 100 from all causes, and 11 -66 per 10,000 persons living. Of the total number in this order, endocarditis and valvular disease of the heart contributed 649 deaths. From angina pectoris there were 36 deaths, from syncope 141, from aneurism 17, and from other forms of heart-disease (hypertrophy, fatty degeneration, and pericarditis) 96. Diseases of the respiratory system show 980 deaths, of which 782 were attributable to bronchitis and pneumonia. Taken together, these two complaints were the cause of more deaths than was phthisis ; and adding 56 from pleurisy, 15 from croup, 14 from laryngitis, and 113 from other respiratory diseases, the mortality in the order is found to be 1216 per cent, of the total deaths, and 11-26 per 10,000 of the population. Deaths from diseases of the digestive system also formed a large proportion of the whole (9-69 per cent.), the number being 781. Enteritis was most fatal, showing 260 deaths, liver-diseases (93), gastritis (119) coming next, while 53 deaths were due to appendicitis. Of 375 deaths from diseases of the urinary system in 1905, the deaths from Bright's disease of the kidneys (albuminuria) numbered 199. Of the groups (a) and (b), constituting the order styled " Diseases of the reproductive system," the greater mortality is found under (6), " Diseases of parturition." In considering the deaths of women in childbirth the number from Order 6, Class I, under the designation " Puerperal fever, pyeemia, septicaemia," have also to be dealt with. As the figures are highly important, a special comparative statement has been made out, giving besides the number of deaths of mothers the proportions in every 10,000 children born. These proportions, taken over ten years' comparison, fluctuate irregularly, the extreme limits being 38-37 per 10,000 births in the year 1900, and 58-64 for the year 1903.

Women dying in Childbirth.

* Stillbirths are not registered. But any conclusion drawn from the above figures must be held as qualified by the remarks touching the matter of diminished fertility of wives at the child-bearing ages. VIOLENT DEATHS. Deaths by violence form a large item in the total mortality. In 1905 the proportion per 10,000 of persons living was 7 - 07, the total number of deaths having been 615. Of 498 males who died violent deaths, 69 were suicides. The deaths of females by violence were far fewer than those of males, amounting to 117, and out of these only 20 committed suicide. A table given previously states the full list of deaths from external or violent causes for the year 1905. Accidental* deaths numbered 520—males 425, and females 95. Of the total male deaths, 201 resulted from fractures or contusions, and 126 from drowning. Of the female deaths, 16 were due to drowning. I have the honour to be Sir, your most obedient servant, J. M. Mason, M.D., D.P.H., Oamb., Chief Health Officer for the Colony. The Honourable Sir J. G. Ward, K.C.M.G., Minister of Public Health, Wellington.

Deaths of Women in each Year. if Women in each Year. Year. jjeatns o In Childbirth. )i women m eauu j uar. From Puer- -, . , peral Fever, &o. iota ' Deaths of Mothers to every 10,000 Children Born.* 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 77 64 72 71 51 70 85 100 85 79 10 18 19 15 24 20 25 28 21 21 87 82 91 86 75 90 110 128 106 100 46-74 43-76 4801 45-66 38-37 43-92 53-26 58-64 46-56 42-23