The Press.
London, England, 1856-10-18 00:00:00

THE PRESS,

smell of the gasworks and that of the Fleet Ditch,
said that he could, and that lie preferred the latter.
Mr. Seward said that about a year ago a formidable
explosion took place at the works through the
bursting of a pipe fifteen inches in diameter and a
piece of pipe about four inches long, three wide, and
half an inch thick, was blown over the tops of the
houses into Chatham place. This concluded the
evidence against the company, who were beard in
reply yesterday.

A DEATH FROM CHLOROFORM. took place on Tues-
day at St. Thomas's Hospital, in the case of John
Gibletts, a seaman, about to submit to amputation
of the finger. The man requested that some chloro-
form should be administered to lull the pain. Mr.
Fowler, the house surgeon, accordingly at once ad-
ministered it, but the unfortunate man expired under
its influence. A coroner's inquest was held, when
Mr. Fowler described the action of the chloroform
upon deceased :
Soon after he began to administer the chloroform wit-
ness was called into the next room to see an accident.
Mr. George gave up the chloroform, and came to witness
to ask if he should discontinue it. As the accident was
slight, witness returned to the room and ordered the ad-
ministration of the chloroform to be continued. The
patient was then partially sensible, and he began to spit as
If about to vomit. He was violently convulsed throughout
his whole frame, and the chloroform was discontinued.
He had to be held by three men to prevent him from
falling on to the floor from the chair on which he was
sitting. He was placed in a horizontal position, when
his breathing was laboured, and the pulse almost ceased.
The tongue was drawn out of the mouth by forceps, and
artificial respiration resorted to. Ammonia was held to
his nostrils, and he appeared to rally a little, so as to be
able to breathe without assistance, but almost imme-
diately he relapsed into his former condition. The gal-
vanic current was passed to the regions, but in a minute
or minute and a half life appeared to be extinct. The gal-
vanic action was kept uo for half an hour, and he was made
to breathe oxygen gas by means of artificial respiration, but
it had no effect. His death undoubtedly was occasioned
by chloroform.

A good deal of additional evidence was gone into
bearing principally upon the state of health in which
deceased was before and at the time of the adminis-
tration of chloroform. Ultimately the inquiry was
adjourned for the attendance of one of the senior
surgeons of the hospital.
THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL'S RETURNS for the week
show a low rate of mortality. The deaths decreased
from 1,085 the previous week to 939 in this. The
average, allowing for increased population, would be
1,103. The births amounted to 1,539.
THE GREY-COAT HOSPITAL, Westminster, caught
fire on Tuesday, happily early in the evening. In a
few minutes a powerful force of engines was on the
spot, and the flames soon subdued. Much damage
was done, and great alarm was created among the
children.

A DEAD MAN was found floating past Waterloo-
bridge on Monday. The body is not yet identified.
NEW STREETS, from the South-Eastern Railway
terminating at Stamford-street; and from Cranbourne-
street to King-street, Covent-garden, were proposed
and agreed to by the Metropolitan Board of Works
this week. The architect has been ordered to pre-
pare plans. The intercepting drainage question
stands adjourned for further consideration. The
Long and Sea Reach plans have been rejected.
THREE CHILDREN were simultaneously knocked
down and run over by an omnibus in Oxford-street
on Monday afternoon. Two were severely injured,
and the head of the third poor child was nearly cut
off from his body by the wheels. The accident oc-
curred close to Bond street. .

A COMMERCIAL. TRAVELLER in the house of Gillott
and Foster, Cannon-street, a Mr. Howell, jumped out
of the fourth storey window on Wednesday morning,
and killed himself on the spot. In his fall the
unfortunate man struck down a passer-by, a Mr.
Reece, clerk to Messrs. Berens and Blomberg. Mr.
Reece was seriously injured. An inquest on Howell
resulted in a verdict of "Temporary Insanity." He
had been disappointed in love.
AT THE EASTERN STEAK NAVIGATION COMPANY'S
half-yearly meeting on Wednesday, a report from Mr.
Brunel anticipated that within a few months the
Great Eastern, now building at Poplar, would be
ready for launching.
HOLFORD-HOUSE, Regent's-park, is about to become
a Baptist college. The purchase money is 8,0001.
DR. LETHERY'S ANNUAL SANITARY REPORT, pub.
lisbed this week, shows a decrease in the rate of
mortality of seventy per cent. compared with the last
eight years. Dr. Letheby gives some curious facts
as to the length of life amongst different trades.
The mean age at which shopkeepers and domestic
servants die is 58.8 and 58.6. Butchers, poulterers,
and fishmongers live to the are of 53.8. Clerks,
accountants, and messengers reach to the age of
from 52 to 52.3. The same is about the mean age of
blacksmiths, gasfitters, and the workers in the coarse
metals generally, while publicans, wine merchants,
waiters, tailors, labourers, and shoemakers live to
the age of from 49.9 to 50.3. Cabmen and ostlers
and draymeu live only to 49.4, and soldiers, sailors,

993

and policemen reach only to 48 years. A like differ.
ence exists in the longevity of women, for while the
wife of a shopkeeper will live to be about 57 years of
age, and the domestic servant to 51.5, the wife of the
publican and beershop keeper and the wife of the
cabman and ostler will only reach to 44.2 and 48
years of age; and, worse still, the poor ueedlawoman
sinks into the grave at 42.6 years of age. In con-
clusion Dr. Letheby makes an earnest appeal in
behalf of better drainage for the metropolis.