The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1931. VITAL STATISTICS. .

Hokitika Guardian, 1 September 1931, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1931. VITAL STATISTICS. .

lx quoting further from the annual health report, wc find that the infant mortality rate showed a slight increase in .1930, from 34.10 per 1000 live births in 1929 to 34.48, but this figure

represents a fairly marked decrease over the years previous to 1929. Actually there was a reduction in the death rate of infants, over one month of age, .but in the ease of those under one month the slight reduction in recent years was not maintained. Altogether 512 of a total of 644 infant deaths in the first month of life occurred during the first week. The Director-general regajrds these early deaths as mainly due to pre-natal influences. In this connection the report of Dr. Paget, Inspector of Private and Maternal Hospitals,* is significant. He regards as satisfactory the slightly improved maternal mortality rate of 0.278 por cent., of con* JiS’emente for solely maternity .hospitals, and of .0433 for mixed hospitals, as against .0823 in 1929, hut expresses regret. that the death rate from eclampsia: remains ‘’‘deplorably high.” A comparison of the maternal death rate, in New Zealand from this cause with the rates in England and Wales and Holland shows, Dr. Paget says, that much requires to. be done if the rate is to he brought down anywhere near the levels in the older countries uiyvl that to obtain tsatis{fiactory results will probably be the work of years. The main cause is attributed to the lack of knowledge among expectant .mothers to the assurances of their well-being and safety that are to be obtained by systematic and skilled ante-natal care. Another cause is, lie states, .a lack of the fullest co-operation between the midwives and nurses at existing clinics and the medical practitioners of the districts. Where ante-natal clinics have been established they are said to have proved popular and undoubtedly to have been of great value, but a necessary percursor to the establishment of a clinic is that those who attend it should he educated to an appreciation of the benefits it can give. The remedy for an apparent absence of realisation on the part of many expectant mothers of the advantages of attending an ante-natal clinic undoubtedly is, as Dr. Paget suggests, to enlist to a still further degree the active of the societies which exist to promote the welfare of women] New Zealand is fortunate In possessing an organisation of the high standing and influence of the Plunket Pocietv which is prepared to care for the interests of mothers and children, and it is certain that this society may he defended upon to continue to direct the education of mothers to the btnefits of ante-natal care.