4 PRINCIPAL CAUSES OF MORTALITY IN QUEENSLAND 



Thus the deaths during the last quinquennium were not 

 only far fewer in proportion, but actually fewer numerically than 

 were recorded 10 years ago though the population under 5 

 increased one fourth in that period. Now that Queensland, in 

 common with all other European nationalities is suffering from 

 a reduced birth rate, it is some consolation that the children who 

 are born have a better chance of growing to maturity. The 

 improvement during the 2;* years has been very consider- 

 able, and the rate during the last 10 years is better than 

 can be shown in any part of England. The P^nglish rate 55-H 

 is about equal to ours of 25 years ago, and no part of England 

 can now show so low a death rate over the first five years of life 

 as does Queensland. The lowest county rate is a little under 34 

 per 1,000 as compared with our 82-2. 



It is not possible to gather anything but the most general 

 idea as to those causes of death in childhood that have 

 contributed most to the general reduction, as the classification 

 has been so completely altered during the 2') years. At the 

 beginning of this term one-fourth of the deaths were said to 

 have been aue to debility or atrophy (wasting away), now only 

 2 per cent, are so classified, deaths from diseases of the 

 digestive system were then only 3 per cent., now they 

 contribute 20 per cent. Deaths from diarrhoeal and respiratory 

 diseases show a most pronounced improvement, the former 

 especially, the rate having been reduced by more than 

 one-half within the last 10 years, viz. : — From 8-5 per 1000 

 in 85/89 to 4 per 1000 in 95/99. 



Phthisis. 



Of all fatal diseases to which the European race is subject 

 that of phthisis has for a long time, and possibly for centuries, 

 taken the place at the head of the list. That it has remained 

 so to the present may be regarded as due, to a very large extent, 

 to the fact that, through ignorance as to the nature of the 

 disease, no check has been placed upon its spreading until quite 

 recent times. Not regarded as a communicable disease, no 

 attention was given to the danger of infection from persons 

 suffering from consumption. Since the discovery of the tubercle 

 bacillus, and the consequent more enlightened treatment of 

 consumptives as persons bearing infection, we may expect to 

 find an improvement in phthisis statistics, and we do not look 

 in vain. 



The figures given below showing annual death rate from 

 phthisis must not be compared with other statistics of this 



