Heilbrigðisskýrslur - 01.12.1951, Qupperneq 243

Public Health in Iceland 1951. — A Summary.
1. In 1951 the climatic. conditions
were on the whole favourable in the
western part but unfavourable in the
eastern part of the country. The mean
temperature and the rainfall in the
whole country were average. The sun-
sliine in Reykjavik was of 58 hours’
longer duration than the average of
20 years.
In spite of a negative trade balance
the balance of payment was a little
better during the year than it had
been in the year before. This was due
to foreign economic aid: Marshall aid
and contribution from the O.E.E.C.
Import restriction and price control
was to some extent abolished. There
was little or no shortage of goods but
some increase in prices, although none
in basic wages. There was some more
unemployment among the labour than
in the previous year, although it was
not serious.
2. Popnlation, Births and Deaths.
The population was on December 31st
1951: 146540 including Reykjavík
£7514 (1950: 144293 and 55980). The
estimated midgear population was
145417 (142668). The marriage rate
was 7.8 (8.5), the birth rate 27.5
(28.7) and the death rate 7.9 (7.9)
per 1000 inhabitants. Infant mortality
was 27.3 (21.7) per 1000 born alive.
The death rate of the year is the
lowest on record, being the same as
last two years’. The previous year’s
infant mortality figure is the lowest
ever registered.
3. Causes of Deaths are shown on
pp. 62—70.
The following ten are the most
common: Number Per 1000 of deaths Per 1000 of the population
Cancer — Malignant Growths 213 185.9 1.46
Diseases of the Heart 204 178.0 1.40
Apoplexy (defined and ill-defined) 151 131.8 1.04
Violence (all forms) Pneumonia (Lobar and Lobular, Pn. of 110 96.0 0.76
Infants included) 75 65.4 0.52
Old Age 44 38.4 0.30
Diseases of Infants (Pneumonia excepted) 44 38.4 0.30
Tuberculosis (all forms) 31 27.1 0.21
Influenza 24 20.9 0.17
Congenital Malformations 19 16.6 0.13
Other and Unknown Causes 231 201.5 1.59
4. Epidemic Diseases. The incidence
of epidemic diseases in 1951 is shown
in tables II, III and IV. 1—28.
The following table shows the in-
cidence of epidemic diseases in 1947
—1951 as also the aggregate number
of deaths from each disease during
the same period.
31