M 122
32. Deaths from other infectious diseases in order of numerical importance included:- 557 influenza, 340 dysentery, 314 syphilis, 187 typhoid fever, 155 measles, 147 diphtheria, seventy-six tetanus (sixty-eight from tetanus neonatorum), twenty-three leprosy, five whooping cough, two encephalitis lethargica and two erysipelas.
33. It should be noted that the majority of the cases of influenza were recorded at the Chinese hospitals where most cases were not seen until after death and where local prejudice has (so far) made it impossible for post-mortem dissections to be performed. The value of such figures for statistical purposes is practically "nil" and this provides the answer for the absence of rates per thousand living population in the different disease groups. As an example of age sex distribution, Table XII is given below relating to deaths from smallpox. It will be noted that nearly three quarters of the deaths were in children under five years of age:-
Table XII.
DEATHS FROM SMALLPOX, 1938.
Age group Males Females Total Percentage of deaths from smallpox at different age periods (approximate) Under 24 hours 24 hours to 1 year 286 339 625 34 1 to 5 years 366 361 727 40 5 to 15 years 77 66 143 8 15 to 25 years 20 38 58 3 25 to 45 years 90 77 167 9 45 to 65 years 1 9 10 0.6 65 years and over 1 1 2 0.05 Unknown age Total 898 935 1,83334.
(e) BERI BERI, ETC.
Fifth on the list comes deaths due to beri beri to which were attributed 2,673 deaths in 1938 as compared with 1,661 in the previous year.
35. Apart from one death certified as being due to rickets, there were no others from deficiency diseases.