62
The figures available on the notifications of and deaths from tuberculosia are supplied herewith;
TUBERCULOSIS.
(All Forms).
Notifications and Deaths,
63 ་
per 100,000 estimated population the figure has increased in 1949 to 92.2 per 100,000-a 15% increase over the figure for 1948. On the other hand, the figures for deaths from other forms of tuberculosis have, in relation to the total deaths, increased by 45% over last year's return-a most significant fact.
Deaths from tubercular meningitis account for 22% of the total Tuberculosis deaths as against 17.7% in 1943 and a steady rise each year since 1946, while at the same time there has been a progressive fall in the age at death.
Year
% below 6 years
of age
Year
Estimated Notifica- population
tion
Death
D/N Ratio
Rates per 100,000 estimated
E
population
1920
648,150
2,082
321.2
1921
625,110
1,994
303.1
1922
(38,800
2,096
$28.3
1028
867.900
1924
695,500
1925
725.109
1920
710.100
1927
240,300
1923
766,700
1929
802,900
1930
838,200
1931
840,473
1992
900,812
1953
922,643
1934
941,422
1935
966,241
-NOT NOTIFIABLE -
2,108
316.0
2,363
330,0
2,291
316.9
1.912
289.2
2,123
286.7
2,537
330.9
2.158
268.7
1946
1947
1948
1949
1,994
7.T
1,983
235.9
2,042
£26.6
2,225
341.2
2,179
230.7
2,297
231.5
1936
988,190
2,410
244.5
1997
1,281.982
4,028
314.2
1938
1,478.619
4.920
332.7
19039
1,750,256
7,591
4.443
1 to 1.7
253.8
1940
Year
to
1945
1948
1.600.000
2,801
1,752
1 to 1.8
109.5
1946
1947
1,750,000
4,855
1,861
1 to 2.6
106.3
1943
1949
1,800,000 6.279 1,857,000
1,061
1 to 8.2
108.9
1947
7,510
2,611
1 to 2.8
140.8
1948
1949
Total deaths from Tubercular Meningitis
169
264
247
580
99
21
85
86
Deaths from tuberculosis (other forms) have shown a significant increase over the fairly steady figures recorded in the period 1946-1948 and show a similar fall in the age at death.
Total deaths of Tuberculosis (other forma)
below & Fears
of age
174
170
171
326
52
67
67
77
1t
It can be seen from the above that the generally favourable trend of tuberculosis has been interrupted by sharp rises occuring in 1937 and 1949 when upheavals in the neighbouring areas of China took place. How much these rises are due to changes in population and how much they are secondary to social and economic deterioration is difficult to determine. is a significant fact to the statistician that in the list of the causes of death the proportions due to the more stable diseases such as cancer, and diseases of the heart and circulatory system are little altered compared with the figures for 1948, hut expressed as a rate per 100,000 of the population as estimated, these figures have increased by 25 and 20 percent respectively. A similar comparison of the pulmonary tuberculosis figures shows that this disease accounted for 10.5% of the total deaths in 1949 as against 10.6% last year, but expressed as a rate
This rise in the number of deaths below 5 years of age from meningeal and other forms of tuberculosis is also shows in the pulmonary returns. These rises may be partially due to an increase in the total number of children at risk in the Colony but are more probably due to a rise in the intensity of infection.
PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS
Pulmonary Tuberculosis is undoubtedly the most important medico-social problem in the Colony not only because of the large numbers of deaths it causes annually but also on account of the prolonged nature of the illness with resulting disability