H.—3l.

Puerperal Death-rates per 1,000 Live Births in New Zealand.

SECTION 2.—NOTIFIABLE DISEASES. Scarlet Fever. The course of scarlet fever in New Zealand during the last five years is briefly shown in the table below. This disease has been epidemic throughout the year, and has continued so since 31st December, 1927, when the figures were compiled. Fortunately, the virulence is mild, the deaths per 100 cases notified producing a case-mortality rate of only 0-7 per cent. Staffs have been kept busy in effecting isolation measures, and in some districts—particularly Christchurch—all available public-hospital beds for infectious cases have been occupied.

Scarlet Fever in New Zealand, 1923-27.

Diphtheria. Diphtheria in New Zealand, 1923-27.

The above table shows reduced incidence and death-rate. Certain American States have attributed reductions in death-rate from this disease to immunization with diphtheria toxin-antitoxin ; but an even greater reduction has taken place in New Zealand under the ordinary isolation and

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(Prepared by the Census and Statistics Office.) Urban Areas. Rest of Dominion. Cause. si 1922. 1923. 1924. 1925. 1926. 1927. Total. 1922. 1923. 1924. 1925. 1926. 1927. Total. Puerperal septicaemia . . 1-95 2-01 1-02 1-41 1-28 2-99 1-78 1-65 1-73 2-55 1-57 1-45 2-09 1-84 Puerperal albuminuria and con- 1-35 0-73 0-95 1-02 0-53 0-61 0-86 1-08 1*61 1-57 1-23 1*59 1-21 1*38 vulsions Puerperal haemorrhage .. 0-45 065 0-63 1-18 0-07 0-23 0-53 1-02 1-16 0-72 0-58 0-53 0-94 0-83 Accidents of pregnancy .. 0-68 0-64 0-71 0-08 0-82 0-31 0-54 0-25 0-58 0-39 0-58 0-59 0-20 0-44 Other accidents of labour .. 0-22 0-08 0-08 0-08 0-30 0-31 0-18 0-63 0-19 0-32 0-39 0-33 0-41 0-38 Puerperal white-leg, embolus, 0'15 0-32 0-39 008 0-30 0'07 0'22 063 0-26 039 0-84 046 0-34 049 sudden death p Following childbirth, not other- .. .. 0-08 0-16 0'07 .. 0'05 0-13 0-13 .. .. .. 0/07 0'05 wise defined Total .. .. 4-80 4-43 3-86 401 3-37 4-52 4-16 5-39 5-66 5-94 5-19 4-95 5-26 6-41

Notifications. Deaths. Year. j — Number. 1 ®f e 10 ;° f 0 . 0 Number. Rate per 10 000 of Mean Population. of Mean Population. 1923 .. .. .. 1,201 9-42 13 0-10 1924 .. .. .. 1,176 9-05 13 0-10 1925 .. .. .. 1,025 7-71 7 0-05 1926 .. .. .. 1,583 11-70 8 0-06 1927 .. .. .. 2,185 15-89 16 0-12 i

Notifications. Deaths.* Year. ——— Number. Rate per 10 000 ! Rate per 10,000 of Mean Population. of Mean Population. 1923 .. .. .. 1,951 15-31 68 0-53 1924 .. .. .. 2,717 20-84 82 0-63 1925 .. .. .. 1,518 11-42 52 0-40 1926 .. .. .. 1,975 14-59 66 0-49 1927 .. .. .. 1,446 10-52 58 0-42 * Figures include deaths from croup.