Heilbrigðisskýrslur - 01.12.1940, Blaðsíða 214

212
1931 1932 1933 1931 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940
Accidents of Childbirtli .............. 6 7 4 6 7 3 6 3 3 4
Puerperal Sepsis ...................... 3 1 3 2 3 1 3 3 2 1
Total Numbcr of Ileaths ............... 9 8 7 8 10 4 9 6 5 5
The death rate 1940 is 2,0 per 1000 children born alive. The distri-
bution of accidents of childbirth is as follows: puerperal haemorrage 1
and puerperal eclampsý 2.
12. Artificial abortion (see table XII).
During the year 46 artificial abortions took place under the Birth
Control Act, which came into operation in 1935 (in tlie preceding year
there had been 49). In 9 out of these 46 cases social as well as health
indications had been taken into consideration.
13. Care of infants may be said to 'be fairlv good, the great majority
of the children being breast-fed. The midwives have made out a report
(table XIII) concerning 2440 infants born during the year (out of
2480 hirths). In 2367 cases the nutrition of the infants after hirth is
reported as follows (Reykjavík figures in brackets):
Breast-fed ................ 89,7% (96,6%)
Breast- and bottle-fed .... 4,6— ( 1,6—)
Bottle-fed only ........... 5,7- ( 1,8—)
14. Sanitarij officials and workers (see table I). The total nuinber
of trained medical men in Iceland was 145 in 1940. There are 49 medi-
cál districts, and as a rule they are all filled. The number of midwives
liolding appointments is 203, while the number of districts is 207.
Trained nurses do iiltle service outside hospitals. Dentists are verv
few. Trained dispensing chemists are only in the larger towns, in
villages and in the country the district medical officers have a small
drug store.
15. General Insurance. The National Insurance Act from 1936
(amended 1940) covers besides diseases: accident, disablement and
old age insurance. In all urban districts insurance against loss of health
is obligatory for persons, whose annual income does not exceed a fixed
minimum, in rural districts the parish councils may, after a general
vote has been taken, adopt compulsory insurance. 29,7 % of the
popnlation are now insured under the National Insurance Act
(children who are insured with their parents not included).
16. Food and Nutrition. Public inspection of food has taken place
in this country since 1936, wlien the Food Adulteration Act cgune into
force. This act provides comprehensive control of a 11 articles of food
and other nutritients. This inspection is in the hands of the district
medical officers of health and the sanitary committees, in co-opera-
tion with the local police authorities and under the supervision of a
sjiecial sanitary officer in Reykjavík (the cápital). The chemical ana-
lysis work is done at the Public Chemical Analysis Institute in Reykja-
vík. 426 samples of food (milk excepted) were submitted for analysis
in 1940, out of which number 54 were found to be not up to the
standards (12,7%),