This death rate figure seems unduly low and in view of the uncertainty of the population figure as estimated by extrapola- tion methods it must be taken with reserve.
C. INFANT MORTALITY..
Although the deaths of infants under one year of age formed over a third of deaths for all ages, the number of infant deaths per thousand live births was only 119. This figure compares with 617 in 1931, 327 for 1940 and 109 for 1946.
PRE-NATAL MORTALITY.
There were 1,322 still-births recorded in 1947, i.e. 30 per 1,000 live births.
Notifiable Diseases.
D. CAUSES OF DEATH.
(a) Smallpox.
The epidemic of smallpox which started in the previous year gradually tailed off in the first quarter of 1947. In January there were 143 cases as compared with 819 cases during the peak period of the epidemic in November, 1946. It may be said that the epidemic ended in March during which month 17 cases were reported. With the exception of 1 local case in June, and 3 imported cases, the Colony was free up to the end of the year. There were 129 deaths out of the total of 214 cases, giving a mortality rate of 60 per cent. A steady vaccination campaign was maintained throughout the year, greatest attention being paid to the masses of poorer people such as squatters who have come to the Colony since the war. In addition there has been routine vaccination of newly born children in the Colony, a practice which lapsed during the Japanese occupation. During the year, 858,160 vaccinations were performed.
(b) Cholera.
No case of cholera occurred in the Colony but in the month of June 6 cases were imported by sea. These were immediately isolated and fortunately no outbreak occurred. During the year, 242,912 inoculations were performed.
(c) Typhus.
Typhus occurs sporadically in the Colony and appears to be mainly of the urban type. 19 cases were reported of which 6 were of the scrub or rural type. There were no deaths.
(d) Enteric Fever.
There were 246 cases of enteric fever with 61 deaths. No focus was discovered and all cases appeared to be sporadic.
(e) Cerebro-spinal Meningitis.
January started with 38 cases of cerebro-spinal meningitis and the number of cases continued to rise to the peak of 199 cases in April. From this point onward the disease declined and
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