BIRTHS AND DEATHS

Taranaki Daily News, 17 November 1926, Page 14

BIRTHS AND DEATHS

DOMINION STATISTICS PROGRESS IN FIFTY YEARS .. .. SAFER INFANCY AND LONGER LIFE. New. “records” —-both favourable and unfavourable —in the vital statistics of New Zealand for 1925, are shown in the annual report published by the Census and Statistics Office. The birth raje was the lowest ever recorded, 21.17 per 1600 of mean population, an unfavourable figure. On the other hand, the record low death rate of 8.29 per 1000 of 1924 was equalled last year, while the mortality of infants under one year showed a further improvement on the previous record of 1924, falling to “the phenomenally low figure of * 39.96 pe" 1000 live births.” The year’s statistics are presented in elaborate detail in tabulated statements, prefaced by a comprehensive discussion of the principal facts. The total number of live births registered was 28,153, including 301 cases (602 children) of twins and two of triplets. There were also 11 cases of multiple births among stillborn infants and in 27 cases twin births would have been recorded, had not. one child been stillborn. The total included 1332 illegitimate children, representing 47 out of every 1900, which is slightly more than the average (454, for the preceding 10 years. INFANTILE MORTALITY'. “The effect of the constantly declining birth rate in New Zealand has been largely neutralised by the concentrated efforts that have been made in the direction of the preservation of infant life,” says the report. “The protection and welfare of children in early life is recognised as a national responsibility, and in this respect New Zealand has established and maintained a success which is unrivalled in any other country. Here, too, lies to some extent the secret of the extremely' low death rate.” Nearly two- thirds of the mortality occurred in the first month of life, comprising 744 out of 1125 deaths occurred within the first 24 hours, 99 on the second day, and 237 within the next five days, making 571 within the first week of-Jife. “So efficacious, indeed, have been the improvements effected in reducing the mortality rate from post-natal causes, most of which take their toll in the later months, that if any further decided improvement is to be obtained in the general infantile death rate, it would appear that greater attention must be focussed on the arresting of pre-natal causes, the effect of which is reflected in the mortality rate for the first month of life.”. PREMATURE AND STILL BIRTHS. This point’is emphasised by reference to the number of deaths attributed to premature birth, which is essentially a pre-natal factor is infantile mortality. There were 354 deaths classified under this heading in 1925, which shows “an unmistakable increase” as compared with the figure for 1924 ( 325), the former representing 12.57 per 1090 ‘births, as against 11.60 in 1924. In addition to the infant deaths, there were 861 still births, six more than in 1924. During the last five years, the maternal death rate has dropped from the high rate of 6.48 per 1000 lavie births in 1920 to 4.65 in 1925. Puerperal septicaemia is by far the most important factor, and an encouraging feature of the 1925 figures, is that the decreaia in both number and rate of deaths from puerperal causes is entirely the result of the success attained in the attempt to reduce the death rate from puerperal septicaemia. COMPARISON WITH 1875. Discussing the general death rate of 8.29 per 1000 of population, the report says the succession of extremely low rates year by’ year since 1920 would appear to indicate that a new level has been reached, lower than would a few years ago have been considered possible. A comparison is made between the crude rates and the standardised rates calculated according to. the ageconstitution of the population. Remarkable though the fall in the crude death rate has been during the 50 years from 1875 to 1925, the actual fall has been even more substantial, the standardised rate for 1925 being only 45 per cent, as high as that for 1879 and 76 per cent, as high as that for 1900. The very low rates of the last few years have been achieved in spite of an upward movement in the age-constitu-tion. As an illustration of the progress that has been made in safeguarding infant life and prolonging adult life the report refers to the statistics of deaths according to ages. Although the total number of male deaths last year was double that in 1876, the deaths of male infants under one year was less by 31 per cent. On the other hand, there were in 1876 only 26 deaths of males at ages 80 or over, • equal to approximately’ 1 per cent, of the total. In 1925, no fewer than 928 of the male deaths were 80 years or over, 15 per cent, of the total. The low death rate is reflected in the ' observations regarding particular causes of death, most of which show declines. Concerning cancer, the report records a slight decrease in the number of deaths, which was 1207. The rate, 9.08 per 1000, is lower than that for the preceding year, 9.59, which was the highest ever experienced in the Dominion. But the report again states that “one death in every seven of persons over the age of ,40 is from cancer.” There were 131 deaths by’ drowning, 38 fewer than in 1924. ‘The-record of deaths from,» automobile accidents for the last five years has been 69 in 1921, 61 in 1922. 59 in 1923, 94 in 1924, and 108 in 1925. Railway accidents were responsible for 43 deaths, including four from level-crossing collisions with, motor vehicles.