total number of deaths reported by medical men. The extent of
the disease is different in the various parts of the country, and in
the various age-classes. In the first years of life, and between the
ages of 20 and 30, the predisposition appears to be greatest, and in the
latter of these periods 57 per cent of all the deaths reported are due
to tuberculosis. After the age of 40, the predisposition and mortality
seem to diminish gradually. I t has been calculated that deaths from
tuberculosis between the ages of 15 and 60 occasion a loss of labour-
power worth at least 28,000,000 kroner annually, and that a sum of
about 1,000,000 kroner goes annually towards the nursing of the patients,
including food, lodging, attendance and actual medical expenses.
Attention has of late years been more and more drawn towards
the increasing spread of tuberculosis. A government bill for
adopting measures against the disease has been brought before the
Storthing, and a sanatorium has been erected exclusively for
tuberculosis patients.
Leprosy (lepra, elephantiasis) is at present of minor importance.
Even towards the middle of the century, its increase was considered
alarming. But the careful counting of the lepers since
1856 has shown the favourable result that the number has decreased
from 2870 in 1856 to 2263 in 1875, 1470 in 1885 and 688
in 1895. This happy decrease is certainly mainly due to the exhaustive
measures taken for the isolation of the sufferers. I t was
therefore possible in 1895 to close two of the four government
hospitals for lepers. Of the 688 lepers then remaining, 328 were
a t home in their districts, while 360 were nursed in the hospitals.
Most of the lepers are now, as formerly, found in the coast-pro-
vinces from Stavanger to Tromso.
The number of lunatics at the last enumeration in 1891 was
7749 or 3.88 per mille of the population. Of these, 2431 or 1.22
per mille were idiots from birth or early childhood. Congenital
lunacy is found to have increased until 1855, then rapidly decreased
until 1865, while since that time it seems to have been stationary
or at any rate to have increased only slightly. The acquired mental
maladies increased slowly up to 1865. During the succeeding 25
years the ratio has risen from 1.86 to 2.66 per mille, an increase of
as much as 43 per cent, a fact which is calculated to rouse attention.
In the latter half of the last century and part of this, the
malady called radesyge was very prevalent in this country, whereas it
very seldom occurs now. I t may be considered certain that it was.
a form of tertiary syphilis. Syphilis in its familiar forms is not
so common as in many other countries. About 1000 cases áre
treated annually in our hospitals, and about twice that number
outside. From 60 to 80 deaths from syphilis are recorded annually,
but the greater number of the deaths caused by syphilis are concealed,
as elsewhere, under other causes. -
Among other chronic diseases of importance may be named
cancer and sarcoma, with 6 per cent of the known annual number
of deaths, and organic diseases of the heart, with about 5 per cent.
SANITARY MEASURES. HOSPITALS AND
INFIRMARIES.
a) Government Institutions. ■ I t was a t , an early date that the
state established institutions for lepers. There were originally 4, 2 at
Bergen, 1 at Molde and 1 at Trondhjem, all large and costly institutions.
Lungegaard Hospital at Bergen, moreover, was fitted
up with an ample scientific apparatus, library, collections, etc. In
1866, when the number of inmates was greatest, 795 lepers were
treated at these institutions. Since then the number has steadily
decreased to 360 at the end of 1895, when it was possible to close
Lungegaard Hospital and Reknes Hospital at Molde as leper hospitals.
Since 1897, Reknes has been used as a sanatorium for tuberculous
patients, and is fitted up with accommodation for about 60,
10 of them children. From the opening day, the 15th November,
1897, until the 31st December, 1898, 211 patients were admitted,
and the number of days of attendance was 17,309. A new hospital
for consumption is planned in Lyster in Sogn, where a site has
been purchased in a well-wooded, mountainous district, 1600 feet
above _the sea.
The state has further erected the State Hospital in Kristiania
with medical and surgical wards, besides special wards. I t is intended
for patients from all parts of the country, and is also a clinical educational
establishment. The daily number of inmates in 1895 was 376.
In Kristiania and Bergen, the state maintains lying-in hospitals
and obstetrical schools in connection with them. The lying-
in hospital in Kristiania is also an -educational establishment for
the medical students. The number of births there in 1895 was
969, in Bergen 112.