19
upon the figures of a crude death-rate. As a matter of fact 1908 was undoubt-
edly more unhealthy than 1907, owing to the prevalance of malaria, but this
was absolutely masked by the uncorrected death-rates for these years.
44. The causes of death in Bombay.? As has already been pointed out the
registration of causes of death in Bombay is largely a matter of guess-work.
In 1909, 21 per cent. of deaths were certified against 7 per cent in 1901, but
in the vast majority of cases, dependence has to be placed upon enquiries
made of friends or relations. In 1910, 8,394 deaths were certified and 19,607
verified by enquiry among friends and relatives of the deceased. This latter
work is carried out by a special registration staff first appointed in 1902. One
effect of this improved organization was the immediate reduction of the number
of deaths recorded under the head fever, a reduction which might be ascribed
to other causes if this co-incident alteration in the method of registration
were overlooked. Unfortunately in the published returns certified causes of
deaths are pooled with those arrived at as the result of enquiry after death.
45. The principal causes of death, as at present recorded, are plague,
cholera, small-pox, fevers, dysentery, diarrha, phthisis and respiratory diseases.
The following table gives the total deaths recorded under different headings,
taken from the Annual Report of the Executive Health Officer for the
City. The rate per 1,000 of the population is not given, as in view of the
uncertainty regarding the actual population at any given period such figures
are fallacious:-
Year
Small-
pox.
Mea-
sles.
Fevers
(including
Sarlet
Enteric,
Maleria,
Ague,
Remittment,
and
Rolapsing).
Cho-
Lera.
Plague.
Phthi-
sis.
Diseases
of the
nervous
system.
Diseases
of the
Respira-
tory
system.
Diar-
rha
Dysen-
tery.
Acci-
dents.
All other
cases (except
still born).
190
159
67
7,921
198
18,736
6,516
2,971
7,804
2,375
1,341
764
10,643
1902
288
642
4,518
75
13,820
3,957
3,027
7,250
2,266
1,377
732
10,462
1903
1,477
1,115
2,333
17
20,788
2,842
2,282
7,101
1,757
1,003
547
9,251
1904
568
229
2,530
219
13,538
2,971
2,412
7,339
1,863
921
558
9,642
1905
2,161
620
2,878
26
14,198
2,558
2,026
9,103
2,402
989
646
10,155
1906
276
936
4,882
1,241
10,823
3,569
2,085
11,731
3,264
1,514
714
11,841
1907
86
107
3,633
439
6,389
2,877
1,863
9,022
2,348
1,141
813
9,969
1908
1,023
653
3,403
95
5,361
2,387
2,083
8,954
2,007
1,177
808
10,317
1909
473
75
2,800
727
5,197
2,415
2,143
7,974
1,592
933
698
9,791
1910
1,608
184
3,113
107
3,656
2,282
2,005
8,214
2,155
1,197
9,830
Mean
812
462
3,801
314
11,250
3,237
2,289
8,449
2,282
1,159