PUBLIC HEALTH.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 April 1922, Page 1

PUBLIC HEALTH.

DEPARTMENTAL REPORT FOR 1921 “AN EXCEPTIONALLY FAVOURABLE YEAR.” WELLINGTON. April 19. The past year, states a report compiled by the head office of the Public Health Department, has been an exceptionally favourable one, for the death rate, 8.73 per 1000 of the .population. is the lowest yet recorded, mid the infant mortality rate was 47.8 per 1000 births—an exceptionally low figure second only to the figure of 1919, 4b.2(5 per 1000 births. Infectious diseases there always have been, and always will he, but in that respect as well the past year lias been a good one. The figures in respect to poliomyelitis (infantile paralysis), puerperal septicaemia, and erysipelas, show increases on the average of former years, Imt on the other hand there have Loon very satisfactory falls in the numbers of notifications of influenza of the three serious forms —-fulminant pneumonia and septicaemic and pneumonic. The following table shows flic number of notifications of the chief infectious diseases in the Dominion during the past five years:—

The eases ol infantile paralysis were fairly generally spread over the whole Dominion, the principal,contributions to the total figures being:— Hospital District. Auckland 21 Wanganui 33 Wellington 18 N. Canterbury 52 Otago 28

In 1921 there wore 178 notified cases of puerperal septicaemia against 124 in the preceding year, and 228 cases of erysipelas as against 15(5, but it. is considered that the greater number of eases of puerperal septicaemia, may have boon due in some extent to the publicity given to the fact that the disease was a serious menace to the country, resulting in greater zeal on the part of those whose duty it, is to notify the Health Department of eases coming under heir notice. Whether that is so or not states the report, tho great improvement in the health of the country as regards influenza and pneumonia far more than balance tho figures. In 1920 there were 470 notifications of severe influenza, and 1933 of pneumonia, whereas last year the figures dropped sharply to 29b and 1029. As regards tuberculosis it is considered that the death rate gives a truer idea of the prevalence of the disease than notifications, and the tables show that the deaths last year were 793, corresponding to 0.48 per 1000 ol tho mean population. This figure is tho second lowest recorded, the lowest being 6.J0 in lUlb.

1917 191S 1919 1920 1921 Scarlet fever .... 275 5 16541621 1248 1845 Diphtheria .... 5458 5539 3499 2442 2611 Enteric 653 423 477 389 451 Tuberculosis .... 1521 1072 984 1305 1207 Cerebro S.M. 42 159 906 79 56 Poliomyelitis 54 6 11 46 267