BRITISH BIRTHRATE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 19 November 1927, Page 10

BRITISH BIRTHRATE

STARTLING DELINE.

LOWEST BUT ONE IN EUROPE.

London, Oct. 8. Alarm!sis in Great Britain sec a startling I'.turo for the country in the couclu.-.-n i.lnrii they have drawn from the report o. the registrar-gen-eeral for 1920. These conclusions are:

The birth rate in England and Wales has fallen below that ol France; and there is a great increase in suicides from gas poisoning. Actually, says the registrar-gener-al, the birth rate in 1918 was lower than last year, being 17.7 per 1000 of the population against 17.8 in 1927, but 1918 was, of course, the last year of tho war, when the country was almost depleted oi its manhood. With the exception of Bweden the rate now is the lowest of the principal European countries, nut excepting France. “in view of the continued decline during the first half of the current year,” says the report, “it is probable that the rate for 1927 will be lower than that for 1918.”

The only bright feature whicu these alarmists see in the review is that the general death rate and the infantile mortality are now compared with the rates prevailing in most of the other countries.

The crude death rate last year was 11.6 per 1009 population, and was equal to that oi 1923, the lowest au record.

The mortality from enteric, fever, scarlet fever a:|l tuberculosis of all forms was the lowest yet recorded. The death rate from measles, whooping cough and influenza showed a decline, while that from diphtheria was slightly higher than in 1925. The death rate from cancer was the highest rat e yet recorded.

Another remarkable feature of the registrar-general's report, according to the alarmists, is the growth of suicide by gas. The figures of selfinflicted death from this cause are: 1917, 155; 1926, 943. The report says that in practically all of these gas-poisoning case coal gas was used.