88
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 4

CAUSES OF DEATH.

CLASS VI.—LOCAL DISEASES—contd.
ORDER 7:—
Diseases of Urinary System,—
Nephritis .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. 1 .. .. 2
Bright’s Disease .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. 2 3
Pyonephrosis .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. 1

ORDER 8:—
Diseases of Reproductive System,—
Tumour of Uterus .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. 1
Cystic Ovaries .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. 1
Puerperal Eclampsia .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 1

ORDER 9:—
Diseases of Organs of Locomotion,—
Spinal Curvature .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. 1

CLASS VII.—VIOLENCE.
ORDER 1:—
Accident or Negligence,—
Fracture of Skull .. .. .. 2 .. .. .. .. .. 2
Laceration of Brain .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. 1
Fracture, Spine .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. 1
Drowned .. .. .. 2 .. .. .. .. .. 2
Contact with Electric Wire .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. 1

ORDER 3:—
Suicide,—
By Shooting .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. 1
By Cutting Throat .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 1

Totals .. .. .. 8 37 16 35 9 23 7 43 178

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, Wellington, and Dunedin.

Death-rates per 1,000 of Population.

Auckland City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·93
and five suburban boroughs.. .. .. .. .. .. 0·80
Wellington City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1·00
and two suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·95
Christchurch City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·62
and one suburban borough .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·62
Dunedin City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·98
and eight suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. .. 0·88

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

Compared with December, 1903, the results are,—

Specific Febrile or Zymotic Diseases.—There were 11 deaths from diseases of this class at the four chief towns with suburbs in December. In the miasmatic order, scarlet fever caused 1 death at Wellington, influenza 1 at Dunedin, diphtheria 3 at Wellington, and enteric fever 1 at Auckland. From diarrhoeal complaints there were 4 deaths, 3 at Wellington and 1 at Christchurch. The remaining death was from erysipelas.

Constitutional Diseases.—Of 46 deaths at the chief centres in November, 15 were attributable to cancer, 11 to phthisis, and 11 to other tubercular complaints; 4 deaths from diabetes, 2 from anaemia, 2 from tabes mesenterica, and 1 from rheumatic fever complete the total.

Local Diseases.—Of 94 deaths, or 52·81 per cent. of the whole mortality for the month at the chief centres, 23 were caused by diseases of the nervous system, 30 of the circulatory, 18 of the respiratory, 12 of the digestive, 6 of the urinary, 1 of the lymphatic systems, 1 of the organs of locomotion, and 3 of the reproductive system.

Violent Deaths.—Of 9 deaths, 7 were accidental: 6 persons were killed at Auckland, 2 by fracture of skull, 1 by laceration of brain, 1 (a carter) died from fracture of spine, and 2 by drowning; there was also 1 death at Wellington, caused by contact with electric wire. There were 2 suicides, 1 at Auckland by shooting, and 1 at Dunedin by cutting throat.

The subjoined table shows the mortality for the last two months at each of the four centres from six principal specific febrile or zymotic diseases, 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.