Report of the Health Officer, Corporation of Madras Health Department.

  • Madras (India). Health Department.
Date:
[1931]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Health Officer, Corporation of Madras Health Department. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    13/196 (page 9)
    Local Variations in the Birth-Rate.—The highest birth-rate (50-7) was recorded in Egmore Division and the lowest in Sowcarpet Division (25*7). Eleven Divisions returned birth-rates above the annual birth-rate of 39-8 per mille of the City. In Sixteen divisions the rates ranged between .30 & 39 and in the remaining three, the lowest was 25-7 as mentioned above. The birth-rates exceeded the death-rates in 22 divisions, the difference of increase ranging from 0*8 in Amir Mahal Division to 16*7 in Egmore division. In seven divisions where the birth-rates fell below the death-rates, the maximum* decrease of 6*8 was recorded in Seven Wells Division. The birth and death- rates of Esplanade Division remained the same. (Annual Form I on Page 55). Birth-rates in communities.—The birth-rates in the different communi¬ ties and among the principal sub-divisions of the Hindu Community are shown in tables C & D on pages 82 and 83. As in previous years, the Mussalman and the European communities returned the highest and the lowest rates respectively, Communities. Rate per 1,000 living. Mussalman . ... 41-6 Hindu ... 40-4 Indian Christian ... 34-2 Anglo-Indian •>.. 35-8 European ... 13*4 All communities ... 39-8 Still births.—The number of still births registered was 1318 against 1260 in the preceding year 1930. This represented 51-2 per 1000 live births. Deaths.—The total deaths registered in the city during the year numbered 23,162 against 22,839 in 1930- The annual death-rate calculated on the census population of 1931 woiks out to 35-8 per 1000 of the population as compared with 43*2 in 1930 calculated with reference to 1921 census population, the quinquennial average being 36*5. As stated elsewhere the rates based on the recent census population may be taken with greater confidence to represent a more exact state of the public health than the rates in the mtercensal period. The death-rate in 1921 was 38-5 per mille based on the then existing population as enumerated by the census of 1921. A comparison of the death-rates of 1931 and 1921 taking these figures with greater impunity to represent the real state of the public health would show that the state of public health in 1931 had decidedly improved over 1921. Moreover, if the general mortality-rate (38*5) experienced in 1921 had been applied to the population of the city during the year 1931 under report, there would have been 24,918 deaths instead of 23,162 —the number actually recorded—a saving of 1,756 lives being thereby effected. Of the total deaths registered during the year 1931, 11,879 were males and 11,283 females. The ratio of males to 100 females was 105*3 compared with 106*1 in 1930 (Annual Form II on page 56). Seasonal Variations.—The highest number of deaths occurred in January (2,841) and the lowest in September (1,588). The incidence of mortality in the different quarters of the year is as follows:— Quarters. Deaths registered. Percentage to total. First Quarter 6926 29*90 Second Quarter 6028 26*03 Third Quarter 5078 21*92 Fourth Quarter 5130 22*15 Total ... # 23,162 100*00 H—3 /