The Straits Settlements medical report.

  • Straits Settlements. Medical Department
Date:
[1912]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Straits Settlements medical report. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    \p.v:r a A 4 r U C. \A WR! STRAITS SETTLEMENT The Straits Settlements Medical Report for the Year 1912. i. Population and Health.—The following table shows the estimated population and the birth and death-rates for the years 1911 and 1912 :— Settlement. Estimated mean Population. Births No. Deaths No. Birth Ratio per mille. Death Ratio per mille. 1911. 1912. 1911. 1912. 1911. 1912. 1911. 1912. 1911. 1912. Singapore 3°3>321 312,028 6,580 7,041 15,499 13,096 2169 22-57 51-10 41-97 Labuan 6,546 6,634 189 211 x83 125 28'87 31-80 27-96 18-84 Penang i4i,S59 I43.236 3,37i 3,766 5,883 4,954 23-81 26-29 41-46 34'59 Province Wellesley 128,978 130,803 3,789 4,456 3,979 3,679 29-38 34-06 30-76 28-13 Dindings 7,466 8,137 198 235 369 294 26-52 2889 48-63 36-13 Malacca 124,081 127,797 3,942 4,885 7,162 6,274 3177 38-22 5772 49-09 Total ... 711>95i 728,635 18,069 20,594 33,075 28,422 25'38 28-26 4646 3901 The figures for the European population only are:— Estimated mean Population. Births No. Deaths No. Birth Ratio per mille. Death Ratio per mille. 1911. 1 1912. 1911. 1912. 1911. 1912. 1911. 1912. 1911. 1912. Straits Settlements. 7,3io 7,500 159 181 93 93 2175 24-13 12-72 12-40 2. The population for 1911 shown by the Census figures was 711,951 and is estimated at 728,635 for 1912. 3. These estimated figures are based on the increase of the Census figures for 1911 over those for 1901 calculated by geometrical progression. The natural means of estimating the population on the number of births, deaths, immigrants and emigrants is impracticable in the Straits Settlements as records under the latter two heads are unreliable under the present easy communication with the neighbouring States and islands by rail, road and water. Until the Malay Peninsula can be taken as a whole on very reliable population figures are possible except in Census years. I he varying numbers of the estate labourers population not only year by year but month by month is one of the great difficulties and will be until practically all estates are in the bearing stage. As pointed out in the previous year’s report the estimated population for 1911 was 49,000 below the actual figures of the Census. 4. Births.—The births registered during the year numbered 20,594 and were equal to a rate of 28-26 per 1,000 persons living. This rate is higher by 2-88 than that recorded in the preceding year and by 176 than the average for the ten years 1902-1911.
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