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the past fifty years was commented on in last year's report; though the neo-natal rate has in half a century been reduced by almost one-half, the improvement in infant mortality has been principally in the period after one month of age. The newly-born infant to-day faces about half the risk in its first month of life as it did in 1900, but only about oneseventh of the risk between the ages of one month and one year. When we examine the causes of death of infants under one month (Table 54) we find that, out of a total of 748 deaths last year, 669 occurred within the first week and that 378 were due to premature birth. Figures for the infant-mortality rate for Maoris are available only from 1930. The figures for 1949 are : neo-natal (under one month), 22-91 ; one and under twelve months, 63-22 ; giving a total of 86-13 per 1,000 live births. While the neo-natal deathrate is slightly higher than for Europeans, the disturbing features of the figures for Maoris are the fact that the rate for the period from one month to twelve months is even to-day higher than it was for Europeans at the beginning of the century, and the fact that the Maori infant-mortality rate as a whole has risen in the past two years. The report of the Division of Public Hygiene indicates that the epidemic of poliomyelitis, which began in November, 1947, and continued throughout 1948, could be regarded as coming to an end in July, 1949. A few cases continued to occur in the remaining months of the year. A survey of the epidemic written by Dr. Maclean, Director of the Division, appears as an Appendix to this report. Another important feature of the report of the Division of Public Hygiene is the reference to the low incidence of diphtheria during 1949, the number of cases notified (89) being the smallest thus far recorded. This surely is a tribute to the success of the immunization campaign, but it still remains important that every possible step should be taken to make immunization against diphtheria- available to every child. Recently there have appeared in the press cabled reports suggesting a possible association between immunization and the occurrence of paralysis in poliomyeltitis. There has been no suggestion that immunization causes poliomyelitis, but there has been recorded in other countries a small number of cases in which, in the presence of an epidemic of poliomyelitis, children who received immunizing injections at a time when they were presumably incubating the virus of poliomyelitis developed paralysis of the limb into which the injection had been given. A recent editorial in the British Medical Journal concluded with these sentences : " Other investigations into the alleged association between poliomyelitis and recent immunization are being carried out, and even if the results should confirm the Australian work and the 'prima facie case put forward, there will be no reason for irresponsible pessimism. It is well known that there are other factors which can increase susceptibility to paralytic poliomyelitis—for example, it is not now considered wise to carry out tonsillectomy when poliomyelitis is prevalent. A dispassionate assessment of the relative risks can be made only when the full facts are known." With the passing of the Health Amendment Act, 1947, the Department of Health and the Mental Hospitals Department were amalgamated, and the Division of Mental Hygiene of the Department of Health was established. On this occasion the report of the Division of Mental Hygiene appears for the first time as a section of the Department's annual report. Several of the divisional reports make reference to shortage of staff. Medical Officers of Health are urgently needed for several of the smaller health districts as well as for additional staffing in the larger districts ; in the Division of Mental Hygiene the shortage of medical officers is acute ; the work of the Division of Child Hygiene is handicapped by a shortage of school medical officers ; there is a serious need for additional dental officers. There is still a shortage of nurses relative to the demand, and the number of public hospital beds which are temporarily closed from this cause is estimated at 850.

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