H—3l

8

Chest-diseases, 1,206. Pneumonia.. . . .. . . . . . . .. 464 Pneumonia secondary to influenza, whooping-cough, and measles .. 177 Broncho-pneumonia .. .. .. . . .. .. 251 Bronchitis .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 314 1,206 There is reason to believe that many of these deaths could be prevented. In some countries the experiment has been tried of making every pneumonia case compulsory notifiable and attempting isolation. Apparently the results achieved have not justified the expense and trouble thereby involved, but the fact remains that probably a large proportion of these illnesses are infectious. All associated with epidemics of influenza, measles, whooping-cough, or diphtheria certainly are. Again, when in the absence of a recognized outbreak of such common infectious diseases, groups of pneumonia or broncho-pneumonia cases occur in a community, affecting in considerable measures virile young adults, adolescents, and children, of which it can be said the infecting agent is virulent, then measures can be taken which give promise of considerably reducing the death-rate from these lung-ailments. Such measures are complete case-isolation to be practised by doctor and nurse, and convalescents to be restrained from close contact with other persons, attendance at indoor public gatherings, &c., until they have completely recovered. The following table illustrates that a noteworthy feature during the prevalence of influenza is that the death-rate not only of pneumonic influenza, but also of acute primary pneumonia and pneumonia (all forms), rises, showing infection which should respond to preventive effort. It is believed, too, that epidemic pneumonia occasionally occurs unassociated with influenza.

Both during epidemic and normal periods living-habits and environment certainly have an influence upon the incidence and severity of chest-diseases. Violence, 955. Regarding the 955 deaths last year from violence, of which 725 were due to accident, 221 to suicide, and 9 to homicide, it is noteworthy that in the last eight years, whereas the death-rates from suicide and homicide have shown little variation, that from accident, especially motor-vehicles accident, has increased considerably. In the last three vears the number of deaths annually from motor-vehicle accidents have averaged 164. Tubebculosis (all Forms), 642. The following table indicates the course of this disease since 1872 : —

Tuberculosis (all Forms) in New Zealand, 1872-1929.

Number of Deaths. Disease. j 1 1927. 1928. 1929. Influenza .. . . .. . . .. 131 242 297 Influenzal pneumonia .. .. . . . . 43 100 120 Pneumonia .. .. . . .. . . 313 422 464 Broncho-pneumonia .. . . . . .. 207 230 251

Number of Deaths Death-rate from Tuber- Number of Deaths Death-rate from TuberYear. from culosis per 10,000 of Year. from culosis per 10,000 of Tuberculosis. Mean Population. Tuberculosis. Mean Population. 1872 .. 346 12-66 1901 .. 775 9-96 1873 .. 296 10-50 1902 .. 802 10-05 1874 .. 391 12-26 1903 .. 769 9-38 1875 .. 561 15-63 1904 .. 799 9-46 1876 .. 488 12-59 1905 .. 678 7-79 1877 .. 512 12-68 1906 .. 720 8-04 1878 .. 513 12-20 1907 .. 856 9-31 1879 .. 587 13-10 1908 .. 840 8-89 1880 .. 645 13-60 1909 .. 803 8-26 1881 .. 680 13-80 1910 .. 731 7-36 1882 .. 611 12-00 1911 .. 733 7-27 1883 .. 700 13-23 1912 .. 716 6-89 1884 .. 718 12-99 1913 .. 812 7-60 1885 .. | 698 12-25 1914 .. 728 6-67 1886 .. 705 12-11 1915 .. 793 6-30 1887 .. 734 12-31 1916 .. 742 6-74 1888 .. 647 10-69 1917 .. 755 6-87 1889 .. 649 10-61 1918 .. 832 7-54 1890 .. 650 10-47 1919 .. 762 6-71 1891 . . 663 10-53 1920 .. 851 7-21 1892 . . 700 10-90 1921 .. 793 6-48 1893 .. 729 11-02 1922 .. 821 6-56 1894 .. 752 11-07 1923 .. 792 6-21 1895 . . 761 10-99 1924 .. 736 I 5-67 1896 .. 680 9-62 1925 .. 684 5-14 1897 .. j 763 10-57 1926 .. 727 5-37 1898 .. 769 10-44 1927 .. 668 4-86 1899 .. 795 10-60 1928 .. 699 5-02 1900 .. 752 9-85 1929 .. 642 4-56