Health Committee's report / City of Melbourne.

  • Melbourne (Vic.). Health Committee.
Date:
[1927]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Health Committee's report / City of Melbourne. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    8/20 (page 8)
    Reports of 32 medical examinations of persons joining the Council's service, and of .those retiring on account of ill-health, were furnished during the year. POPULATION. According to a return furnished by the Government Statist, the estimated mean population of the City for the year 1927 was 101,700. being 50 more than that for 1926. BIRTHS. The number of births allotted to the City of Melbourne by the Govern¬ ment Statist was 1,648. This corresponds to a birth rate of 16.2 per 1,000 of the estimated mean population. These figures are not comparable with those given in previous reports, which were calculated on data supplied direct to this office. It is felt, however, that these data were incomplete, and that no useful purpose will be served by continuing to attempt an independent estimate. DEATHS. The number of deaths of residents of the City, as supplied by the Government Statist was 1,236. In regard to deaths, also, it is proposed to discontinue the attempt to estimate rates, and to furnish an analysis of the causes, from records supplied direct to this office. Arrangements are being made with the Government Statist, who has kindly consented to supply certain details which will be presented in future years. An analysis of the deaths of 111 infants under one year, which were reported direct to this office, is included in the section dealing with Infantile Mortality. The figures in Table I have been supplied by the Government Statist. TABLE I. Showing Population, Birth Rate, Death Rate and Infant Mortality Rats for Melbourne City for the following years:— Year. Estimated Mean Population. No. of Deaths. Death Rate. No. of Births. Birth Rate. Infant Mortality. 1923 101,930 1,418 13.91 2,011 19.73 11.79 1924 101,960 1,310 12.85 1,843 18.08 9.12 1925 101,780 1,166 11.46 1,766 17.35 7.70 1926 101.650 1,192 11.73 1,791 17.62 7.76 1927 101,700 1,236 12.15 1,648 16.20 8.19 INFANT MORTALITY. The number of births of children, whose mothers were resident in the City, was 1,746, whilst the number of deaths of infants under one year was 135, which represents an infant mortality rate of 8.19 per cent. Reports of the deaths of only 111 infants were sent direct to this office, but it is hoped to make arrangements by which, in future, full particulars of all deaths of infants and young children will be received without delay. Of the 111 deaths, 47, i.e., 42 per cent, were under one month, and 34, i.e., 30 per cent., were under one week. The following list gives the causes of deaths of which particulars are available:— Enteritis and Colitis. 21 Pneumonia. 16 Pulmonary Tuberculosis. 3