H.—3l.

Heart-diseases (all Forms). —In the case of males, deaths from all forms of heart-disease increased by 142, from 1,940 in 1935 to 2,082 in 1936. There was an increase of 8 deaths under forty years of age, of .67 between forty and sixty years, and of 67 above the age of 60 years. The standardized rate indicates that after allowance has been made for the changing age constitution of the male population there has been a definite increase, and this may be a reflection of the stress and strain of the recent depression. Females show a rise of 45 in the number of deaths, but a slight decrease in the standardized death-rate. It will be seen from the table given above that the death-rates from all forms of heart-disease are very similar in England and Wales and in New Zealand, the average death-rates for the five years 1931-35 being in the case of males only 3-9 per cent, and females 3-5 per cent, lower for New Zealand than those for England and Wales. Cancer. —In 1936 there was a decrease of 11 deaths from cancer in the case of males (866 deaths in 1935, 855 in 1936), but a marked increase in the case of females (790 deaths in 1935, 907 in 1936). The standardized rate for males dropped by 27 per million, but for females increased by 81 per million. The female standardized rate for 1934 was, however, only 2 per million below that for 1936. Except for males during the " eighties " and the " nineties " of last century, the New Zealand rates for the sexes separately have always been considerably below those for England and Wales. Another feature of the rates shown in the above table is that whilst in England and Wales the male standardized rate is considerably above the female rate, in New Zealand the two rates are approximately the same, the average for the five years 1931-35 showing a male excess of only 9 per million.

Tuberculosis (all Forms).

Of the 680 deaths from tuberculosis last year 540 (= 3-62) were assigned to pulmonary tuberculosis, and 140 to other forms of the disease. Other Forms of Tuberculosis. —The 140 deaths last year from other forms of tuberculosis were distributed as follows :— Tuberculosis of the meninges and central nervous system .. .. 51 Tuberculosis of intestines and peritoneum . . .. .. 21 Tuberculosis of vertebral column .. .. .. .. 10 Tuberculosis of bones and joints .. .. .. .. .. 6 Tuberculosis of lymphatic system .. .. .. .. .. 2 Tuberculosis of genito-urinary system .. .. . . .. 18 Tuberculosis of other organs .. .. .. . . .. .. 1 Disseminated tuberculosis .. .. .. .. .. 31 140 Tuberculosis of the Respiratory System. —The year 1936 witnessed a setback regarding this form of tuberculosis, the number of deaths (540) being 69 more than in 1935. This is the highest number of deaths recorded since 1928 (569), and the death-rate per 10,000 of mean population (3-62) is higher than in any year since 1930 (3-71). Fluctuations in the number of deaths and in the death-rate occur from year to year, due to the smallness of our population, but it is many years since a fluctuation of this magnitude occurred. To what extent the rise experienced this year is due to the conditions existing as a result of the recent depression it is impossible to gauge with accuracy, but it is of interest to note that provisional mortality reports for the United States for 1936 indicated that the decided downward swing in the trend of this disease had been checked —at least temporarily. Tuberculosis other than of the Respiratory System. —Deaths from other forms of tuberculosis increased by 35, from 105 in 1935 to 140 in 1936. The latter figure is, however, only 10 greater than in 1934 and 5 greater than in 1933. Deaths from tuberculosis of the meninges and central nervous system increased by 11, of the genito-urinary system by 11, and disseminated tuberculosis by 13. The death-rate for each of the various forms of tuberculosis grouped under this heading fluctuates markedly from year to year. In 1936 the increase in deaths from the two chief forms —disseminated tuberculosis and tuberculosis of the meninges and central nervous system —accounted for approximately 70 per cent, of the increase. The type of bacillus present in these two conditions is in the great majority of cases the human type, and the increase during 1936 must therefore be closely associated with the increase in tuberculosis of the respiratory system, which is almost, if not wholly, due to the human type of bacillus. The same association was present during and following the war-period.

11

AT , • Death-rate from Number of Tubercu i osis Year. Deaths from per i 0 ,000 of Tuberculosis. Me P an Population . 1931 .. .. 617 4-27 1932 .. .. 615 4-22 1933 .. .. 611 4-16

■xt -I n Death-rate from Number of . . tt r\ ,, Tuberculosis Year. Deaths from Q f Tuberculosis. Me P an p opulation . 1934.. .. 621 4-20 1935.. .. 576 3-88 1936.. .. 680 4-56