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H.—3lA

Graph B. —Notifications of Tuberculosis of the Respiratory System per 10,000 Population by Islands and Health Districts, 1927.

Notification returns are higher in Canterbury and Otago because in Christchurch and Dunedin there are well-organized tuberculosis dispensaries. As a result a more determined effort is made to seek cases out, the interest of the medical profession is quickened, and there are greater facilities (e.g., by consultation with tuberculosis specialists) for reaching a diagnosis. But if the more reliable death-rate is taken as the basis for estimating incidence it will be seen by the following Table V and by Graph C that the difference in incidence between the North and South Islands is negligible, and that, while Otago shows the highest rate, Canterbury shares with Auckland the lowest rate.

Table V. —Deaths from Tuberculosis of the Respiratory System, by Islands and Health Districts, 1927

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Deaths from Tuberculosis of „ , Respiratory System. District. Mean Population. Number. Rate per 10,000. Islands — North .. .. .. .. .. 856,774 327 3-82 South .. .. .. ■■ •• 517,665 206 3-98 Health Districts — Auckland.. .. .. .. •• 419,184 147 3-51 Wellington .. .. .. .. 480,920 193 4-01 Canterbury . . . . • • • • 259,604 91 3-51 Otago .. .. .. •• 214,731 102 4'75 Dominion total .. .. .. 1,374,439 533 3-88