H.—3l

8

Infant Mortality in New Zealand, 1900-21. — Proportion of Deaths of Infants under Tivelve Months to every 1,000 Births in Individual Years. , T , One Month and „, ~ , ~ Under , ,„ , .1 otal under ycar ' Ono Month. Twelve Months. 1900 .. .. .. .. .. 31-1 44-1 ' 75-2 1901 .. .. .. .. .. 29-8 41-6 71-4 1902 .. .. .. .. .. 32-2 50-7 82-9 1903 .. .. .. .. .. 31-7 49-4 81-1 1904 .. .. .. .. .. 29-4 41-6 71-0 1905 .. .. .. .. .. 30-1 37-4 67-5 1906 .. .. .. .. .. 29-6 32-5 62-1 1907 .. .. .. .. .. 304 58-4 88-8 1908 .. .. .. .. .. 31-2 36-7 67-9 1909 .. .. .. .. .. 29-9 31-7 61-6 1910 .. .. .. .. .. 30-2 37-5 67-7 1911 .. .. .. .. .. 28-5 27-8 56-3 1912 .. .. .. .. .. 30-1 21-1 51-2 1.913 .. .. .. .. .. 29-7 29-5 59-2 1914 .. .. .. .. .. 28-9 22-5 51-4 1.915 .. .. .. .. .. 29-2 20-8 50-0 1916 .. .. .. .. .. 27-0 23-7 50-7 1.9.1.7 .. .. .. .. .. 27-9 20-3 48-2 1918 .. .. .. 26-7 21-7 48-4 1919 .. .. .. .. .. 28-4 16-9 45-3 1.920 .. .. .. .. .. 30-8 19-7 50-5 1921. .. .. .. .. .. 30-7 17-1 47-8 SECTION 2.— NOTIFIABLE DISEASES. The year under review was characterized by an increased amount of scarlet fever and erysipelas, an undue and somewhat disturbing prevalence of acute poliomyelitis, and a marked and most satisfactory decline in the incidence of influenza and pneumonia. Scarlet Fever. The course of scarlet fever in New Zealand during the last five years is briefly shown in the table below. It will be seen that in 1921 the disease was more widely prevalent than in any year since 1917, but, was fortunately mild in type.

Scarlet Fever in New Zealand, 1917-21.

Diphtheria. As the next table shows, there has been a most, substantial decline in diphtheria since 1917 and 1918. It must be admitted, however, that the disease still remains all too prevalent in the Dominion.

Diphtheria in New Zealand, 1917-21.

Notifications. Deaths. Deaths. Year. 917 918 919 920 921 Number Rate P er 10 ' 000 of Mean Population. 2,755 25-07 1,654 14-99 1,521 13-31 1,248 10-46 1,845 ' 15-07 Number. 30 30 23 15 2-4 Rate per 10,000 of Mean Population. 0:27 0-27 0-20 0-13 0-19

Notifications. Deaths.* Jeaths.* 1917 1918 1919. 1920 1921. Year. , T , ' ' Rate per 10,000 Numher ' of Mean Population. 5.458 49-66 . 5,539 50-22 3.499 30-6.1 2,442 2048 2,611 21-33 Number. 237 189 157 95 107 Rate per 10,000 of Mean Population. 2-16 1-71 1-37 0-81 0-87 * Figures include deaths from emu p.