68
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 4

CAUSES OF DEATH.

CLASS VI.—LOCAL DISEASES—contd.
ORDER 7:—
Diseases of Urinary System,—
Bright’s Disease .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. 1 .. .. 2 4
Enlarged Prostate .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1

ORDER 8:—
Diseases of Reproductive System,—
Pyosalpinx .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. 1 .. .. .. 1
Abortion .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1

ORDER 10:—
Diseases of Integumentary System,—
Pemphigus .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. 1

CLASS VII.—VIOLENCE.
ORDER 1:—
Accident or Negligence,—
Crushed by Trap .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. 1 .. .. 1
Run over by Tram .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1

ORDER 3:—
Suicide,—
By cutting Throat .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. 1
By Poison .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 1
By Hanging .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. 1

CLASS VIII. — ILL-DEFINED AND NOT-SPECIFIED CAUSES.
Marasmus, &c. .. .. .. 1 .. 3 .. 1 .. 1 .. 6

Totals .. .. .. 6 38 9 21 12 30 7 33 156

In the first table are given the deaths and death-rates for each of the four cities, for the suburban boroughs severally, and for each city with its suburban towns. As regards Auckland and Christchurch, the whole of the area usually recognised as suburban has not yet been brought under municipal government, and the vital statistics do not deal with such portions as still remain in road districts. But the omission is not very important, for there are in either case quite enough suburbs included within borough boundaries to give a fair idea of the death-rate of Greater Auckland and Greater Christchurch. As further boroughs are formed the vital statistics will be made to include them.

The inclusion of the suburban boroughs tends to lower the rate at Auckland and Dunedin, but raises it at Wellington and Christchurch.

Death-rates per 1,000 of Population.

Auckland City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·91
and five suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·88
Wellington City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·66
and three suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·69
Christchurch City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·86
and four suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·94
Dunedin City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·80
and eight suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·76

Including the suburbs, the rate at Christchurch is the highest and at Wellington the lowest.

Compared with December, 1900, the results are,—

1900. 1901. Auckland and suburbs .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·84 0·88
            Wellington and suburbs .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·52 0·69
            Christchurch and suburbs .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·86 0·94
            Dunedin and suburbs .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·80 0·76

Specific Febrile or Zymotic Diseases.—Only 1 death from influenza (at Auckland) for the four chief cities and their suburbs was recorded in December, as against 6 in November and 14 in October. The other deaths in this class at the four chief centres in December were—1 from measles, 1 from diphtheria, 2 from enteric fever, 1 from diarrhoeal disease, 1 from syphilis (inherited), and 1 from erysipelas.

Parasitic Diseases.—The only death in this class was 1 from hydatids at Christchurch—a girl, aged 19 years.

Dietetic Diseases.—Alcoholism caused 1 death in December, the same number as in November.

Constitutional Diseases.—There were 41 deaths in this class during December, 16 of which were from phthisis, 5 from other tubercular diseases, 16 from cancer, 1 from rickets, and 3 from diabetes.

Local Diseases.—Deaths in this class numbered 80, or 51·28 per cent. of the total from all causes. Nervous diseases accounted for 18 of these, and there were 20 deaths from diseases of the circulatory system (heart-disease and syncope). Of the 14 deaths from diseases of the respiratory system, pneumonia caused 6 and bronchitis 5. In addition there were 20 deaths from diseases of the digestive system, 5 from diseases of the urinary system, 2 from diseases of the reproductive system, and 1 from disease of the integumentary system.

Violence.—Of the 5 deaths in this class at the four chief towns, two were accidental and three suicidal. A child was accidentally killed by a trap falling over and crushing her, and a blacksmith was run over by a tram. Of the suicides, a gardener cut his throat, a farm-labourer hanged himself, and an electrician poisoned himself with arsenic, the verdict in each of the three cases being “Temporary insanity.”