Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 24 Apr 1957

Vol. 161 No. 3

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Tuberculosis Death Rate.

Dr. Browne

asked the Minister for Health if he will state (1) the annual death rate from tuberculosis (all forms) in each of the years 1932 to 1942 and 1948 to 1956, inclusive, (2) the total number of deaths from tuberculosis in each of the years 1932 to 1948, inclusive, and (3) the average age of persons who died from tuberculosis in each of the years 1932 to 1948 and the average for the whole period.

Mr. MacEntee

As the reply is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to have it circulated in the Official Report.

I should, however, say now that, in order to give the complete picture, I have included the death rate figures in respect of the years 1943 to 1947 when a downward trend had already begun to manifest itself as a result of the special emergency steps taken by the Government at the time to ensure that nourishing food and other necessities would be available to all citizens, including, in particular, the poorer classes who otherwise might have found it impossible to obtain them.

The statement is as follows:—

Year	Annual death rate from tuberculosis (all forms) per 100,000 of population	Number of deaths from tuberculosis	Average age of persons who died from tuberculosis
1932	125	3,676	32.1
1933	119	3,510	31.8
1934	118	3,514	32.3
1935	127	3,770	32.2
1936	117	3,480	32.5
1937	123	3,639	32.3
1938	109	3,216	32.3
1939	113	3,304	32.8
1940	125	3,685	33.3
1941	124	3,711	32.6
1942	147	4,347	32.5
1943	146	4,306	32.6
1944	130	3,839	33.4
1945	125	3,694	33.3
1946	114	3,390	33.8
1947	124	3,700	33.9
1948	104	3,103	34.3
1949	91	*	*
1950	81	*	*
1951	73	*	*
1952	54	*	*
1953	40	*	*
1954	34	*	*
1955	31	*	*
1956	24	*	*
	(provisional)

The average age of persons who died from tuberculosis in the years 1932 to 1948 was 32.8 years.

* Information not requested.