§ Mr. Patrick Jenkinasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give an estimate of the annual number of deaths certified as due to heart attacks, strokes, and infections but where death has been induced by hypothermia; and whether he is satisfied that the appearance of hypothermia as the cause of death on death certificates is a valid criterion for judging its incidence.
§ Mr. Ennals,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 2nd February 1978; Vol. 943, c. 265.], gave the following information:
366WThe numbers of deaths in England and Wales where hypothermia was mentioned on the death certificate are as follows:
Underlying cause 1974 1975 1976 Ischaemic heart disease (ICD 410–414) 24 43 47 Cerebrovascular disease (ICD 430–438) 46 36 51 Influenza (ICD 470–474) — — 2 Pneumonia (ICD 480–486) 59 98 95 Other causes 272 334 390 Total 401 511 585 Within the limitations of a general system of certifying causes of death there is no reason to suppose that these figures are unreliable.