HH62/1/DUMFRI/39

Transcription

[Page] 39

Moffat, and Langholm are separated, while only the Landward
returns for Dumfries parish are given. The returns for Wanlock-
head are added to those for Sanquhar Landward, while the Bryde-
kirk returns are separated and added to those for the three civil
parishes out of portions of which this Registration District is formed.
This is necessary, as two of these parishes lie within the Annan
District, while the third is in that of Lockerbie. Further, the
deaths of patients in the Crichton Asylum who do not belong to
the County have been altogether deducted, while those belonging
to the County have been added to the various parishes from which
they were admitted. In calculating the rates I have deducted 550
from the population, that figure representing as nearly as my infor-
mation goes the number of out-county patients in the Asylum last
year. A series of tables showing the rates for each parish were
constructed, but exigencies of space and other considerations pre-
vent their publication. The total number of deaths for the six
County Districts was 830, and the rate per 1000 living 17·823.
The Districts of Thornhill, Dumfries, and Annan show rates below
this figure - 16·960, 16·246, and 16·598 respectively. The rates
for Lockerbie, Moffat, and Langholm are considerably higher, being
20·203, 21·011, and 21·518 in each case. It may be further
observed that the total rate is slightly higher than the mean for
1881-89. The highest rates occurred in the parishes of Torthor-
wald, 26·058; Canonbie, 25·848; Tundergarth, 25·057; Hoddom,
24·787; and Kirkpatrick-Juxta, 24·590; the lowest in Dalton,
10·657; Westerkirk, 11·013; Hutton and Corrie, 11·019; and
Tynron, 11·142.
The Infant Mortality over the entire rural population is less
than the average, being 82 per 1000. This is exceeded in the
Moffat and Langholm Districts, where it is 118 and 139 per 1000.
The rate for Annan District is 95, for Dumfries 80, for Lockerbie
71, while Thornhill shows more favourably than any with 52.
Certain of the parishes show a very high mortality among infants.
In Tinwald it is 262 per 1000 births, in Torthorwald 230, in Canon-
bie 208, in Kirkpatrick-Juxta 178, and in Cummertrees 150. I
have already stated that this mortality, though perhaps largely, is
not entirely dependent on insanitary surroundings, and have
instanced illegitimacy as a cause. It is probable that it may not
exert the same influence in districts where it is common as in others
where it is less prevalent, but that such influence is undoubtedly
exerted is borne out by a comparison of the Illegitimacy rates with
the Infant Mortality rates for each District.