ft—3l

19

Ninety-five per cent, of the deaths were at the ages 35 years and upwards, and 57 per cent, at the ages 60 years and upwards.

Ages of Persons who died from Cancer, 1909.

The proportion of deaths from cancer to the 1,000 persons living in some of the principal European countries as shown below leads to the conclusion that there is a general tendency to increase.

Cancer Death-rates per 1,000 living in some Principal European Countries.

Diabetes. There were 104 deaths in 1909, a rate of 1-07 per 10,000, the average for the five years being 95 and 1-03 respectively. Simple Meningitis. This disease caused 131 deaths in 1909, equal to the average of the past five years. Convulsions op Children. It would appear that the mortality from this cause shows a decreasing tendency, although the rate, measured by the total population, was exceptionally high in 1909. The proportion of deaths per 10,000 children living under 5 years of age was 11-52 in 1905 and 11-65 in 1909. Apoplexy. The average number of deaths from this cause during the past five years was 312, and the rate per 10,000, 3-39. Last year the number of deaths was 316, and the rate 3-25 per 10,000. Pneumonia. There were, 458 deaths in 1909, against 453 in 1908, and 425 in 1905. Excepting occasional fluctuations due to exceptional climatic conditions, the rate per 10,000 remains fairly constant at about 4-9. Gastritis and Enteritis and Diabehceal Diseases. Although shown separately in the table, it may be advisable to consider these causes together. The number of deaths recorded in 1909 was 464, a rate of 4-78 per 10,000, as compared with an average of 582 and 6-35 respectively for the past five years. Cirrhosis op Liver. There were 47 deaths in 1909, as compared with an average of 45 for the five years 1905-9.

Ages. Males. Females. Total. Ages. Males. Females. Total. Jnder 5 years 5 years and under 10 . . .0 • „ 15 . . .5 „ 20 .. !0 „ 25 . . !5 - „ 30 .. 10 „ 35 .. 15 ,. 40 . . :0 ., 45 .. 3 1 4 1 1 2 1 .. 1 1 .. 1 2 2 4 2 15 7 4 |9 13 5 22 27 6 27 33 45 years and under 50 50 „ 55 55 „ 60 60 „ ' 65 65 „ 70 70 ,-, 75 75 „ 80 80 years and upwards 23 42 44 52 66 72 45 14 383 29 40 34 35 49 37 25 12 328 52 82 78 87 115 109 70 26 711 Totals

Country. Average 1901-5. Yeai's 1906. 1907. 1908. i Switzerland The Netherlands England and Wales Scotland Victoria Ireland New Zealand South Australia . . Prussia New South Wales Queensland Tasmania Italy Spain Western Australia Hungary 1-30 0'97 0-86 0-84 0-74 0-69 0-67 0-67 0'65 0'64 0-57 0-56 0-55 044 045 0-39 1-32 1-01 0-92 0-94 0-75 0-79 0-70 0-74 0-70 0-68 0-55 0-52 0-62 048 0-59 0-40 i-25 1-02 O91 0-96 0-80 0-76 0-73 0-70 0-73 0-70 0-65 0-63 0-61 0-47 O50 0-42 1-03 0-92 0-79 0-76 0-70 0-68 0-74 0-67 0-51 0-67 0-64 0-50 0-52 043