Heilbrigðisskýrslur - 01.12.1940, Qupperneq 211

Public Health in Iceland 1940. — A Summary.
1. In 1940 the climatic conditions wei'e favourable. The atmospheric
pressure in the whole country was 1,1 nim. above the average. The
mean temperature of the air was 1,2° above the average. The rainfall
was average. During the year business and trade conditions were on
the whole verv favourable, notably in the fishing trade as, due to the war,
Prices of fish products were extremely high. Conditions were less fav-
ourable for farmers but in the circumstances quite favourable. Un-
employment, which for several years had been a serious problem, disap-
peared altogether as the year drew near its close ancl more and more
workers were employed bv the British garrison. Accordingly consumers
purchasing power showed a considerable increase but there was a
threatening rise in prices which caused great anxiety to those who are
concerned about the future.
2. Population, births and deaths. The popnlation was on December
3lst 1940: 121579 including Reykjavík 38308 (1939: 120264 and
38219). The marriage rate was 6,6 (5,9), the birth rate 20,5 (19,4) and
the death rate 9,-9 (9,7) per 1000 inhabitants. Infant mortality was
35,9 (37,3) per 1000 born alive.
The death rate (9,9%0) was somewhat higher than in the preceding
year, when it was unusually low (9,7%0) and in faet the lowest rate on
lecord. The infant mortality figure (35,9%0) is on the other hand a
little lower than last year’s (37,3%c), the lowest figure on record being
28,3%0 (1938).
3. Causes of death are shown on pages 8—11.
The ten following are the most common:
%o of %o of tlie
Number deaths population
Old Age 198 165,0 1,6
Diseases of the Heart 162 135,0 1,3
Cancer — Malignant Growths 153 127,5 1,3
Apoplexy 106 88,3 0,9
Tuberculosis (all forms) 104 86,7 0,9
Accidents (ail forms) 93 77,5 0,8
Pneumonia (lobar and lobular) 91 75,8 0,8
Premature Birth and Debility of Newborn 24 20,0 0,2
Hiseases of the Arteries 21 17,5 0,2
Nephritis 17 14,2 0,1
Other and Unknown Causes 231 102,5 1,9
4. Epidemic diseases. ’l'he incidence of epidemie diseases is shown
•n tables II, III and IV, 1—27.
27