Heilbrigðisskýrslur - 01.12.1947, Qupperneq 256

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12. Maternity (cf. tables XII—XIV). The total number of births
in 1947 was 3759, 3703 born alive and 56 stillborn (14,9%0 of the total
nuinber).
Deaths in connection with childbirth during the preceding years
have been as follows:
1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947
Accidents of Childbirth .... 3 3 4 10 8 7 8 7 6 10
Puerperal Sepsis ............ 3 2 1 3 3 3 1 1 1 1
Total Number of Deaths .... 6 5 5 13 11 10 9 8 7 11
The maternity death rate 1947 is 2,9 per 1000 children born.
The distribution of accidents of childbirth is shown on page 12.
13. Artificial Abortion (cf. table XII).
During the year 39 artificial abortions took place under the Birth
Control Act, which came into operation in 1935 (in the preceding year
the number was 38). In 14 out of these 39 cases social as well as health
indications had been taken into consideration.
14. Accidents. The figure of deaths by accidents (0,8 per 1000 of the
whole population) was still a Iot higher than thc average number
before the war.
1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947
Deaths by Suicide .... 15 12 12 8 13 12 7 12 18 10
— — other Violence .. 75 55 93 195 117 127 124 87 94 100
The distribution of deaths by accidents is shown on page 13.
15. Care of Infants may he said to be fairly good, the great majority
of the children being breast-fed. The midwives have made out a report
(table XIII) concerning 3654 infants born during the year (the total
number of births being 3759, stillbirts included). Reports on the
nutrition of infants were submitted in 3529 cases which accordingly
were grouped as follows (Reykjavik figures in brackets):
Breast-fed.................... 92,8 % (98,4 %)
Breast- and bottle-fed .... 3,4 — ( 0,7 —)
Bottle-fed only ................ 3,8 — ( 0,9 —)
16. Sanitary Officials and Workers (cf. table I). The total number
of trained medical men in Iceland was 168 in 1947. There are 51 medi-
cal districts, but there is a difficulty in filling some of the smallest
and remotest. The number of midwives holding appointments is 155
while the number of districts is about 200. Trained nurses do little
service outside hospitals. Dentists are very fevr. Trained dispensing
chemists are only in the larger towns, in villages and in the country
the district medical officers have a small drug store.
17. General Insurance. The National Insurance Act from 1936
(amended several times) covers besides diseases: accident, disable-
ment and old age insurance. In all urban districts insurance against