H.—3l.

Table B.—Deaths from Puerperal Causes in various Countries.

A glance at the above table (B), which covers a quinquennial period, indicates that New Zealand owes her relatively high maternal-mortality rate less to deaths from puerperal septicaemia than from other puerperal causes. Analysis of Maternal Deaths from all Puerperal Causes.—During the decennium 1916-25 the average annual number of deaths from all puerperal causes was 149-5, made up as follows :■ — Table C. Puerperal septicaemia .. .. .. .. .. .. 53-2 Puerperal albuminuria and convulsions .. .. .. .. 34*2 Puerperal haemorrhage.. .. .. .. .. 20-8 Accidents of pregnancy . . .. .. . . . . 16-8 Other accidents of labour .. .. .. .. .. 12-4 Puerperal phlegmosia, alba-dolens, embolis, sudden death .. .. 9-9 Following childbirth not otherwise defined .. .. .. 2*2 149-5 Puerperal Septicemia (Fever). —The following table (D) shows the course of this disease for the quinquennium 1921-25

Table D.—Puerperal Fever in New Zealand, 1921-25.

This is a remarkable improvement upon the experience of former years. The increase in the number of notifications is definitely due not to -an increase in the incidence of puerperal fever, but to much freer notification by medical practitioners. The number of deaths has been greatly reduced, the average for the preceding ten years having been 53.

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Death-rate per 1,000 Births from Country. Puerperal Other Puerperal All Puerperal Septicaemia. Causes. | Causes. l Denmark .. .. . . . . . . 1-07 0-99 2-06 Netherlands .. . . . . .. . . 0-82 1-76 2-58 Italy .. .. .. .. .. .. 1-04 1-71 2-75 Uruguay .. .. .. .. .. 1-75 1-13 2-88 Japan .. .. .. .. .. .. 1-27 2-17 344 England and Wales .. .. .. . . 1-45 2-50 3-95 South Africa .. .. .. .. .. 1-77 2-40 4-17 Australia .. .. .. .. 1-69 3-27 4-96 New Zealand .. .. .. .. .. 1-75 3-26 5-00 Irish Free State .. . . .. . . .. 2-11 2-91 5-02 Germany . . .. .. .. .. 2-78 2-26 5-04 Jamaica .. . . . . .. . . .. 1-09 4-08 5-17 Northern Ireland .. .. .. .. 1-95 3-30 5-25 Spain .. .. .. .. .. .. 3-38 1-96 5-34 Switzerland .. .. .. .. .. 2-82 2-60 5 42 Canada* .. .. .. .. .. 141 4-12 5-53 Belgium .. .. .. .. .. .. 2-52 3-16 5-68 Scotland .. .. .. .. .. 1-89 4-38 6-27 United States! .. .. .. .. .. 2-56 5-02 7-58 Chile .. .. .. ■. ■. .. 2-24 6-00 8-24 British Guiana .. . . .. .. .. 2-85 1148 14-33 Ceylon .. .. .. .. .. ... 8-23 11-69 19-92 * Exclusive of Quebec. + Registration area.

Notifications. Deaths. Year. : — : t Number. 1921 .. .. .. 178 6-23 48 1-68 1922 .. . • • • 262 9-03 52 1-79 1923 .. .. • ■ 176 6-93 52 1-86 1924 .. .. .. 308 10-99 52 1-86 1925 .. .. • • 336 11-93 42 1-49