New Zealand Gazette – 1885 – No. 5

Page 109

✨ Health & Meteorology Statistics



The following remarks apply only to the above four principal boroughs:—

The births in December were 272, against 259 in November, an increase of 13. The deaths in December were 99, against 87 in November, an increase of 12.

There were 11 deaths of persons of 65 years and upwards: a male of 76 and a female of 65 died at Auckland; 5 males of 81, 75, 71, and 67 (2), and a female of 80, at Wellington; a female, 84, at Christchurch; a male of 67 and a female of 69 at Dunedin.

Of the death-rates at the principal towns for December, that for Wellington is the highest, being 1·41 per 1,000 of the population. In December of 1883 the rate was 0·99 per 1,000 persons. The higher mortality for last month is not due to any excessive number of deaths from zymotic disease. Local diseases, however, caused 14 deaths (4 from diseases of the respiratory organs), which, with 8 deaths from developmental diseases of children and adults, are the main causes of increase.

Dunedin shows the lowest death-rate for the four towns, 0·57 per 1,000 persons, a rate most exceptionally low for that city. Comparing with the previous month, the number of deaths for December (15) is found to be 13 fewer than the number for November, there being a lower mortality from every class of disease, and only 2 deaths from zymotic complaints.

Zymotic Diseases.—Of the total number (21) of deaths at the chief towns, 13 occurred at Auckland, including 1 case of diphtheria, 3 of croup, and 7 of dysentery and diarrhœa. The mortality at the other towns was not great.

Local Diseases.—Of these the greatest number of deaths were from diseases of the nervous system. Under diseases of respiratory organs are found 8 deaths from bronchitis and pneumonia.

Developmental Diseases.—The total, 17 deaths, is considerable; 11 of these were of children, caused by premature birth, teething, and debility; the remainder deaths of women in childbirth and persons of old age.

Violent Deaths.—A stevedore was killed by fall of iron upon him when working on a steamer, a ship’s steward received fatal injuries from falling down the hold, and a labourer died from self-inflicted wounds made by a knife.

The subjoined table shows the mortality for the last two months at each of these four boroughs from six principal zymotic diseases of the miasmatic order, and also the deaths from certain inflammatory diseases of the lungs. These causes of death have been distinguished from the others of the classes to which they belong, as being the most important special diseases which give rise to sudden increases in the death-rates of towns, and the prevalence of which is closely connected with sanitary condition and climatic influence of the season on health.

Towns. Measles. Scarlet Fever. Typhoid and other Fever. Diphtheria. Whooping Cough. Dysentery and Diarrhœa. Bronchitis. Pleurisy. Pneumonia. Congestion of Lungs.
Dec. Nov. Dec. Nov. Dec. Nov. Dec. Nov. Dec. Nov.
Auckland 1 1 1 7
Wellington 2 1 3
Christchurch 1 2 1
Dunedin 3
Totals 4 1 4 2 8

Registrar-General’s Office, Wellington, 12th January, 1885.

E. J. von DADELSZEN, Deputy Registrar-General.

PROVISIONAL METEOROLOGICAL RETURN FOR DECEMBER, 1884.

AUCKLAND. WELLINGTON. DUNEDIN.
Mean Temperature in shade for month 62·2 58·7 54·7
Average same month previous years 65·5 61·2 56·4
Maximum Temperature in shade, and date 75·5 on 16th 70·0 on 2nd 71·0 on 19th
Minimum Temperature in shade, and date 51·0 on 3rd 44·3 on 13th 43·0 on 9th
Maximum Temperature in sun, and date 145·0 on 31st 148·0 on 18th
Minimum Temperature on grass, and date 40·0 on 13th 38·0 on 9th
Mean Humidity (Saturation=100) 72 81 80
Average same month previous years 74 73 73
Total Rainfall in inches 5·660 12·459 4·080
Average same month previous years 3·178 3·647 3·200
Number of Days of Rain 19 23 26
Average same month previous years 11 10 14

Note.—This table is prepared from unchecked averages, transmitted by telegraph in anticipation of the full returns, and must not be entirely relied on for compiling Meteorological Statistics.

Meteorological Office, Wellington, 12th January, 1885.

JAMES HECTOR.



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Online Sources for this page:

VUW Te Waharoa — PDF NZ Gazette 1885, No 5




✨ LLM interpretation of page content

🏥 Causes of Deaths in Selected Boroughs (continued from previous page)

🏥 Health & Social Welfare
15 January 1885
Causes of Death, Constitutional Diseases, Local Diseases, Developmental Diseases, Violent Deaths, December 1884
  • E. J. von Dadelszen, Deputy Registrar-General

🏥 Provisional Meteorological Return for December 1884

🏥 Health & Social Welfare
12 January 1885
Temperature, Rainfall, Humidity, Weather, December 1884
  • James Hector