X1000307-1949-50_Part02 — Page 7

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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