Heilbrigðisskýrslur - 01.12.1953, Page 213

Public Health in Iceland 1953. — A Summary.
1. In 1953 the climatic conditions
v,ere on the whole favourable, the
■winter even exceptionally mild, the
^ean temperature being 2 centigrades
above the average. During the summer
roonths the mean temperature was 1
—-2 centigrades above the average, the
sunshine in Reykjavík though of som-
'what shorter, but in Akureyri of some-
■what longer duration than averagely.
The economic situation of the na-
tional industries could be regarded as
satisfactorv throughout the year. The
Weather was favourable in agricul-
ture, and the yield of the fisheries
"Was tolerably good. Conditions of
commerce improved considerably;
there was sufficient supply of goods
and general prosperity. Wages remai-
ued firm and there was no unemploy-
^uent. Prices were nominally kept
stable by Treasury subventions and
other Government measures. The
general prosperity was thriving in the
shadow of a latent, dangerous infla-
tion which it might prove very diffi-
cult to check.
2. Population, Births and Deaths.
The population was on December lst
1953: 152506 including Reykjavík
60124 (1952: 148938 and 58761). The
estimated midyear population was
150722 (147739). The marriage rate
was 8.1 (7.8), the birth rate 28.7
(27.6) and the death rate 7.4 (7.3) per
1000 inhabitants. The infant mortality
rate was 18.7 (20.6) per 1000 born
alive. The general death rate is the
second lowest on record, the last
year’s figure being the lowest. The
infant mortality figure is the lowest
ever registered, the last year’s figure
being the next lowest.
3. Causes of Deaths are shown on
pp. 61—69.
The following ten are the most
common:
Number
Diseases of the Heart ................... 228
Cancer — Malignant Growths................ 211
Apoplexy (defined and ill-defined) ....... 187
Violence (all forms) ..................... 102
Pneumonia (Lobar and Lobular, Pn. of
Infants included) ...................... 68
Diseases of Infants (Pneumonia excepted) 43
Old Age................................... 38
General Arteriosclerosis ................. 17
Congenital Malformation .................. 15
Tuberculosis (all forms) ................. 14
Other and Unknown Causes ................. 195
Per 1000 of
deaths
203.9
188.7
167.3
91.2
60.8
38.5
34.0
15.2
13.4
12.5
174.5
Per 1000
of the
population
1.51
1.40
1.24
0.68
0.45
0.29
0.25
0.11
0.10
0.09
1.29
27'