Heilbrigðisskýrslur - 01.12.1938, Blaðsíða 192

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but the increasing consumption of alcoholic drinks is a matter of
anxiety to many and not the least to those who are most concerned
with the general health of the people, for the connection between the
two is a close one.
Yarious Diseases and Important Causes of Death.
Blindness is very common in Iceland, and the number of blind
people is about 450, or over 4%0 of the population (in the other
Scandinavian countries 0,5—0,7%o). Blindness in children is very
rare, but the most common form is glaucomatous blindness, which
is an alarmingly frequent disease in Iceland. Trachomn is indeed not
entirely unknown in Iceland, but it can by no means be counted as
endemic. There are about 60—70 denf nnd dumb persons, or over 0.5%o-
Drugtnking is hardly ltnown in the country and secret trade in such
drugs does not exist. Dinbetes is a very rare disease in Iceland and
it is an extraordinary occurrence for doctors to come across it. Scurvg
and other diseases resulting from deficiencg of vitnmins in thc diet are
now very rare in the stage when the symptoms of the disease become
obvious. On the other hand Iceland doctors keep so well up to date
that there is no want of diagnoses of these „fashionable illnesses“ in a
latent stage. Dental caries is very common and one can hardly find a
person with sound teeth, which is a dark patch in the state of public
health in Iceland. This is all the more noteworthy as it is a definite
decline since the periods of greatest misery of the nation, because down
to the middle of the last century decayed teeth were about as rare as
they are common at the present day.
Heart diseases and apoplexg are frequent causes of death, though
no more so than in other countries (the death rates are up to \%c of
each disease). Death from puerperal fever and diseases connected
with childbirtlr does not reach O,l%0 of the population (about 3,5%o
of women giving birth). Death due to accidents is very conmion in
Iceland, 0,5—í%0, as the chief occupation of the people, the fisheries,
is so fraught with great risks that some years may be compared with
the deadliest wars of other countries. Numerous measures are, how-
ever, taken to secure greater safety for the sailors (inspection of
ships, building of lighthouses, weather forecasts broadcast frequently
every day and night, wireless and telephonic apparatus in ships, life-
saving stations, life-boats, etc.).
Future Prospects.
Although as may be seen from the above a great deal of progress
has been made in matters concerning public health during the last
few generations there still remains much to be done. There is no rea-
son to despair of good results in the future although it is not to be
expected that there will be such revolutionary changes in this respect
as the last two or three generations of people have witnessed. Much
in the new ways of living adopted by the nation indicates that the
general standard of fitness may be expected to increase; in this con-
nection we might especially mention increased interest in physical