Heilbrigðisskýrslur - 01.12.1939, Side 191

Publie Health in Iceland 1939. — A Summary.
1. In 1939 the climatic conditions were exceptionally favourable.
The atmospheric pressure in the whole country was 1,5 mm. above
the average. The mean temperature of the air was 2,2° above the
average. The rainfall was average. The vear 1939 was not as difficult
for the economic status of the people as had been the preceding years
and may even be accounted favourable for the farming industry. The
fishing was poor, but satisfactory prices during tlie last months of
the year helped the fishing industry a great deal. Unemployment was
still extensive.
2. Population, hirths and deaths. The population was on December
31 st 1939: 120264 inchiding Reykjavik 38219 (1938: 118888 and
37366). The marriage rate was 5,9 (5,4), the birth rate 19,4 (19,7) and
the death rate 9,7 (10,2) per 1000 inhabitans. Infant mortality was
37,3 (28,3)1 per 1000 born alive.
The death rate (9,7%0) was still somewhat lower than in the pre-
ceding vear, when it was unusually low (10,2%o) and in fact the lowest
rate on record. The infant mortality figure (37,3%c) is on the other
hand a little higher than last years (28,3%0), then being the lowest
on record.
3. Causes of death are shown on pages 8—11.
The ten following are the most common:
%o of %0 of llie
Number deaths population
Old Age 171 147,4 1,+
Cancer — Malignant Growths . 16B 140,5 1,1
Pneumonia (lobar and lobular) 124 106,9 1,0
Diseases of tlie Heart 121 104,3 1,0
Apoplexy 119 102,6 1,0
Tubcrculosis (all forms) 04 81,0 0,8
Accidents (all forms) 55 47,4 0,5
Influenza 28 24,1 0,2
Diseases of the Arteries 21 18,1 0,2
Preinature Birth and Debility of Newborn 21 18,1 0,2
Other and Unknown Causcs 243 209,6 2,0
4. Epidemic diseases. The incidence of epidemic diseases is shown
in tables II, III and IV, 1 -27.
1) Corrected figure.