L 19
Among the Chinese population the deaths of the infants numbered 2,307 (2,360 in 1913) while only 2,668 Chinese births were registered. Taking the corrected Chinese birth figure to be 3,635 as explained on page 16 it would even then appear that more than two-thirds of the Chinese children born in the Colony die in infancy. The Census return for 1911 showed however 1,180 Chinese infants under one year of age and 24,738 Chinese children between the ages of one year and five years, while the Annual Report for that year showed that more Chinese infants died during the year than there were births registered: it is very evident therefore that a large number of small children are brought into the Colony from the mainland of China.
DISEASES.
Respiratory Diseases.
The total number of deaths from these diseases for the year was 2,252 (2,537 in 1913) of which 54 were among the Non-Chinese community leaving 2,198 among the Chinese population; 621 out of this total occurred in infants under one year of age (637 in 1913).
Pulmonary Tuberculosis and Phthisis alone account for 769 deaths (914 in 1913) of which 742 were Chinese. Pneumonia caused 996 deaths (1,163 in 1913) of which 975 were Chinese. 481 of these deaths from Pneumonia occurred in infants under one year of age (524 in 1913).
The death rate among the Chinese from Respiratory Diseases was 5.6 per 1,000 as compared with 6.5 per 1,000 in 1912 and 1913; that for Phthisis alone was 2.9 per 1,000 as compared with 2.3 in the previous year.
The deaths from Pulmonary Tuberculosis and Phthisis amongst the Chinese were 7.9 per cent. of the total deaths amongst that community, as compared with 10.8 in 1913, 8.1 in 1912 and 10.0 in 1911; if other deaths from tuberculosis are included the total amounts to 1,054 or 11.3 per cent. of the total deaths among the Chinese (15.5 per cent. in 1913).
Considerable efforts are still being made to put a stop to the inveterate habit of the lower class Chinese of spitting in public buildings and offices and on staircases, footpaths, wharves, etc. Notices have been posted in many public buildings as well as in tramcars, ferry boats and other public vehicles, while lectures have been given and leaflets distributed, calling attention to the dangers incident to this habit. It is hoped in this way, coupled with the improved sanitary condition of the native dwellings, to gradually reduce the death rate from Phthisis. The fact that the soil in the lower levels (which are the most densely populated) is water-logged during the greater part of the year has no doubt much to do with the heavy mortality from this disease, but it is to be hoped that the influences of education will gradually effect a further reduction in our Phthisis death rate.