35

H.—3l

deaths; diphtheria next, with 439 deaths; scarlet fever, with 265 deaths; and puerperal fever, with 220 deaths :—

The mortality from measles for 1898 was not very great, but rose to 137 deaths in 1899, falling again to 9 deaths in 1900 and 6 deaths in 1901, again rising to 134 in 1902, and further to 143 deaths in 1903. During 1904, 1905, and 1906 this disease was not epidemic in the Dominion, and caused only ten, eight, and twelve deaths respectively, but in 1907 there was an outbreak which caused 101 deaths. From scarlet fever and scarlatina there were only 25 deaths last year, as compared with 131 in 1903. The mortality from diphtheria, which was 45 deaths in 1898, rose to 55 deaths in 1907, the figures for the intervening years not presenting any striking features'. Whooping-cough in 1898 caused only 6 deaths. In 1899 the mortality sprang up to a total of 123 deaths, against 90 in 1900, 9in 1901, and 83 in 1902. In 1903 the mortality was heavy, the number of deaths being 204, but in 1904 only 35 deaths are recorded from this complaint, while in 1905 and 1906 the number was further reduced. Last year this complaint was epidemic, and 307 deaths were recorded. The deaths from influenza numbered 223 in 1907, as against 132 in the previous year. The figures for the eight previous years ranged from 56 to 219, the last being for the years 1898 and 1901. From diarrhoeal complaints the deaths in 1907 were 314, the highest number observed in the decennial period, as against 97 in 1906; while in 1896 the mortality reached the height of 334 deaths, and in 1889 was even higher (355), with a much smaller population than in 1907. Enteric or typhoid fever was slightly more fatal in 1907 than in 1906, the figures being 53 deaths, against 48. The highest mortality during the decennium was in 1898, when the deaths numbered 120. PARASITIC DISEASES. There were 16 deaths from parasitic diseases, the proportion per 10,000 living being OT7. Deaths from hydatids numbered 15 in 1907. DIETETIC DISEASES. Under the class " Dietetic diseases " are included 36 deaths from intemperance. But these cannot be said to represent the full extent of the mortality really caused by the abuse of alcoholic liquors. Many deaths of intemperate persons are attributed to disease of the liver, kidneys, &c, in the medical certificats. CONSTITUTIONAL DISEASES : PHTHISIS, CANCER, ETC. The deaths from constitutional diseases in 1907 numbered 1,730, or 1882 per 10,000 of population, and 17 out of every 100 deaths from all causes. This class of disease is more fatal than any other except that defined as " Local diseases," on account of the great numbers of deaths from cancer and phthisis, with other tubercular complaints, which are classed as " Constitutional." The number of deaths from phthisis was 612, and was in the proportion of 6"66 in every 10,000 persons living, against 621 in the previous year. Figures for ten years are quoted, showing that the total number of deaths from this disease in 1902 was the highest recorded during the decennium, though the rate was higher in two of the previous years. v Deaths from Rate v Deaths from Rate * ear - Phthisis. per 10,000. xear ' Phthisis. per 10,000. 1898 .. .. ..597 8-11 1903 .. .. ..570 6-95 ' 1899 .. .. ..593 7-91 1904 .. .. ..598 7-08 f 1900 .. .. ..577 7-56 1905 .. .. ..496 5-70 1901 .. .. ..596 7-66 1906 .. .. ..556 6-21 [ 1902 .. .. ..617 7-73 1907 .. .. ..612 6-66 Of the persons dying from phthisis in New Zealand during 1907, more than one-half were born in the Dominion. The numbers are : total of deaths from phthisis, 612; 372 of them having been New-Zealand-born. The proportion is 61 per cent. At the census of 1906 the New-Zealand-born were shown to be 68 per cent, of the population, which would give the approximate average number of the same in 1907 as 627,400. The deathrate from phthisis amongst these persons was, judging from the numbers in the table annexed, 5-93 per 10,000 living. The death-rate from phthisis in England and Wales is stated by the Registrar-General to be at the rate of IFSO per 10,000 living for the year 1906.

Diseases. 1898. 1899. 1900. 1901. 1902. 1903. 1904. 1905. 1906. 1907. Measles Scarlet fever and scarlatina Diphtheria Whooping- cough Influenza Diarrhoeal diseases Enteric or typhoid fever... Puerperal fever 56 2 45 6 219 275 120 19 137 58 123 135 298 93 15 9 10 63 90 181 199 68 24 6 17 44 9 219 139 95 20 134 39 54 83 117 275 53 25 143 131 23 204 56 184 61 28 10 1327 35 113 193 73 21 8 10 35 3 70 128 45 21 12 18 35 26 132 97 48 18 101 25 55 307 223 314 53 29