Sessional_Paper_1904 — Page 418

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INFANT MORTALITY.

The total number of deaths of infants under one year old was for the year 1903 1,069 as compared with 1,199 in 1902. The percentage of these deaths on the total deaths for the year was for 1903 17-2 as compared with 17-6 in 1902.

For the Chinese community alone the percentage of these deaths on the total Chinese deaths was 17·6 for 1903 as compared with 17.8 per cent. in 1902.

The infant death-rate amongst the Non Chinese community for 1903 was 108.7 per 1,000 as compared with 196'6 per 1,000 in 1902.

Amongst the Chinese, however the deaths under 1 year of age numbered 1,038, while the registered births amongst the Chinese numbered only 749. This figure may be corrected as has been the custom by adding to it the deaths of Chinese infants under one month under the assumption that these children have not had their births registered. Such a corrected figure would give 1,247 births. As there have been 1,038 deaths of infants under one year this is equal to an infant death-rate of 832 per 1,000 as compared with a similarly estimated rate of 792 per 1,000 in 1902.

This exceedingly great infantile mortality-rate formed the subject of an Enquiry by a Committee appointed by His Excelleney the Governor in 1903.

As a result of the Enquiry the Committee came to the conclusion that a very large number of births remain unregistered, perhaps amounting to between one third and half the total number. That the chief cause of the non-registration is the national training or ideas of the Chinese community who in the Colony as well as in China proper register in their Ancestral Temples the births of males only and those not until they are at least one month old.

DEATHS FROM DISEASES OF THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM.

The total number of deaths during the year from respiratory diseases was 1,397.

In 1902 the number was 1,640. In 1903 the number of deaths in this group of diseases amongst the British and Foreign community was 55 as compared with

58 in 1902.

For the Chinese community the figure for 1903 is 1,342 as compared with 1,582 in 1902.

The deaths from these diseases therefore form 22-8 per cent, of the total Chinese deaths as compared with 24.6 per cent. in 1902.

The death-rate for the Chinese community from these diseases for the year is is 4:37 per 1,000 as compared with 54 in 1902.

The difference in the rate between the floating and land populations (Chinese) is not so marked this year as last. The death-rate from these diseases for 1903 amongst the floating population was 4:63 per 1,000 as compared with 67 per 1,000 in 1902.

Amongst the land population the rate for 1903 was 4:32 per 1,000 as com- pared with 5.2 per 1,000 in 1902.

The greater number of deaths in this group of diseases was from bronchitis, pneumonia and phthisis, namely, 1,367 out of a total of 1,397. Of these deaths 1,313 were amongt the Chinese. This gives a death-rate for these three diseases amongst the Chinese of 427 per 1,000.

The number of deaths from these diseases among the floating (Chinese) population was 216 which gives a death-rate of 4:57 per 1,000, while the corres- ponding figure amongst the Chinese land population was 4-22 per 1,000.

From phthisis alone the death-rate for 1903 was 1·94 per 1,000 for the whole Colony as compared with 2:37 in 1902. For the Chinese community the death-rate from phthisis alone was 199 per 1,000 as compared with 2:45 per 1,000 in 100%.

Amongst the Chinese the deaths from phthisis alone were 10:4 per cent. of the total Chinese deaths in 1903 as compared with 11·18 per cent. in 1902.

Of the deaths from all respiratory diseases in 1903 those from phthisis alone formed 45'52 per cent. as compared with 45-44 per cent. during 1902.