VITAL STATISTICS

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 22, 26 January 1934, Page 6

VITAL STATISTICS

LOWEST BIRTH RATE

• INCREASE OF SUICIDE

(From "Tli* Pest's" RtpraMiTtatlva.) LONDON, December 20.

The Registrar-General's statistical review for 1932 shows a significant rise in the death rate from suicide in England and Wales. It'far exceeds the proportion of such deaths to bo accounted for by the normal growth of population, and shows a much higher increase on the previous year than any year in the past decade. , Tho totals of suicides for'tho years 1931 and 1932 were: 1631, 3624 males, 1523 females, total 5147; 1932, 4054 males, 1689 females, total 5743 i Thcso figures bring this country appreciably nearer the suicide level of some of tho Continental nations, and a notable symptom, is that a great part of the increase occurs between the ages of 20 and 40. t The- birth rate, 15.3 per 1000 persons living, constitutes a new ■ low record, 0.5 below the rate for 1931. Births registered numbered 613,972.

The death rate was 12 per 1000 persons living, 0.3 below the rate for 1931.

Deaths of children under one year of age numbered 65 per 1000 live births, against 66 in 1931, and 60 in 1930. Tho year 1930 is, however, the only ono showing a lower rate than 1932. The cancer death rate was 1510 per million persons living, against 1484 in 1931. If, however, allowance is made for differences in ago constitution, tho comparative mortality shows a much Bmaller increase.

iThe tuberculosis death Tate constitutes a now low record of 837 per million living. Road deaths numbered 5671, against 5892 ia 1931.