22 GENERAL DEATH-EATE FOE ALL AGES, ETC. 



Thus, by tlie total death-rate, the several Colonies take up 

 the following order, in which Tasmania is made to occupy the 

 fourth position, while, by the more accurate Health Standard^ 

 Tasmania rightly occupies the second position. 



By the Total Death-Bate index: — 1, 'New Zealand ; 2, South 

 Australia ; 3, Victoria ; 4, Tasmania ; 5, ISTew South Wales ; 

 6, Queensland. 



By the Health Standard: — 1, New Zealand ; 2, Tasmania; 



3, South Australia ; 4, Victoria ; 5, ISTew South Wales ; 6, 

 Queensland. 



The order of greatest percentage living over 60 is also 

 shown thus: — 1, Tasmania; 2, Victoria; 3, South Australia;. 



4, !N"ew South Wales ; 5, New Zealand ; 6, Queensland. 



The true test of comparative health for this group is 

 longevity, and in this respect Tasmania again heads the 

 list : — 1, Tasmania ; 2, South Australia ; 3, New South 

 Wales ; 4, Victoria ; 5, New Zealand ; 6, Queensland. 



The misleading nature of the total death-rate as a test of 

 comj^arative health and sanitary condition is still more 

 forcibly illustrated in regard to comparisons made between 

 cities where the age groups are differently constituted. Thus 

 the total death-rates for the following cities are placed in 

 the order of the highest death-rate for all ages. 









Death Rate 









per 1,000 persons. 



1. 



Hobart, 



1885 



24-70 



2. 



Sydney, 



1884 



23-33 



3, 



Brisbane, 



1885 



21-64 



4. 



London, 



1885 



19-7 



5. 



Adelaide, 



1885 



18-9 



But, when we come to analyse the figures, it is at once 

 made apparent that the order is far from correct, as indicating 

 comparative health or sanitary condition, for the proportion 

 of age group 60 and over is extremely variable, thus : — 



Percentage of Deaths Mean age 

 over 60 years. at death. 



Hobart, 1885 43-46 74-30 



Adelaide, 1885 18-80 71-91 



London, 1885 12-89 73-37 



Sydney, 1884 11-96 71-22 



Brisbane, 1885 8.54 71-08 



From this it is clear that the Hobart total death-rate of 



24-70 per 100, which includes 43-46 per cent, of ages 60 and 



over, cannot fairly be contrasted by this means (from a 



health point of view) with the other cities, which only contain 



from 8-54 to 18-80 per cent, of the old age group, especially 



so when we consider that in Hobart the mean age at death 



of the group) is the highest. 



