Heilbrigðisskýrslur - 01.12.1937, Page 169
Public Health in Iceland 1937. — A Summary.
1. In 1937 the climatic conditions were on the whole rather un-
favourable. The atmospheric pressure in the whole country was 1,1
mm. below the average. The mean temperature of the air was 1,3°
above the average. The rainfall was 24% above Ihe average. 1937 was
still a difficult year for the economic status of the people, especially
for the fishing industry. The economic depression was mainly dne
to poor fishing and to the embarrassed circumstances of trade in
general. As a natural consequence unemployment was extensive.
2. Population, births and deaths. The population was on December
31st 1937: 117692 including Reykjavík 36103 (1936: 116880 and
35300). The marriage rate was 5,5 (5,4), the birth rate 20,4 (22,0)
and the death rate 11,2 (10,8) per 1000 inhabitants. Infant mortalitg
was 32,8 (46,9) per 1000 born alive.
The death-rate was somewhat higher than in the preceding year,
when it was unusually low (1Q,8%0). The lowest death-rate on record
is 10,3%„ (1933). The infant mortality (32,8%0) showed the lowest figure
ever registered (the lowest figure before was in 1933, 42,3^).
3. Causes of death■ are shown on pages 8—11.
The ten following are the most common:
%c of %e of the
Number deaths population
Old Age 195 148,1 1,7
Cancer — Malignant Growths 165 125,3 1,5
Tuberculosis (all forms) 155 117,7 1,3
Pneumonia (lobar and lobular) 117 88,8 1,0
Apoplexy 104 79,0 0,9
Diseases of the Heart 104 79,0 0,9
Influenza 87 66,1 0,7
Accidents (all forms) 51 38,7 0,4
Nephritis 34 25,8 0,3
Diseases of the Arteries 29 22,0 0,2
Other and Unknoxvn Causes 276 209,5 2,4
4. Epidemic diseases. The incidence of epidemic diseases is shown
in tables II, III and IV, 1—27.
Tlie following table shows the incidence of epidemic diseases in
1) Corrected figure.