The Express.
London, England, 1851-11-26 00:00:00

HEALTH OF LONDON DURING THE WEEK.

The official report asp: A further and important
increase in the mortality is an indication that the public
health has suffered ti a considerable extent from the cold-
ness of the weather. The deaths registered in London,
which in the last week of October were 861, and in the
first two weeks of November increased to 989 and 1,022,
rose in the week which ended last Saturday to 1,132.
During three weeks of October the weekly mean tempe-
rature at Greenwich exceeded 52 deg. ; in the last week of
that month it fell to 46 deg. • in the first two weeks of
November to 40 deg. ; and lastl week it exhibited a further
decline to 35 deg. The present return is heavy as compared
with corresponding weeks of the ten years 1841-50, the ave-
rage of which did not exceed 992. If the average be cor-
rected for increase of population, it becomes 1,091, on which
last week's mortality shows an excess of 41. With the de-
pression of temperature towards the close of the year
comes increased fatality of diseases of the respiratory or-
gans. This class, which is exclusive of phthisis, numbered
in the two previous weeks 148 and 168, but last week the
number rose to 256, whilst the corrected average of corre-
sponding weeks is 208. These 256 deaths are distributed
thus : 103 caused by bronchitis, 105 by pneumonia or in-
flammation of the lungs (of which 82 occurred among chil-
dren), 27 by asthma, 4 by laryngitis, 5 by pleurisy, and 12
by other diseases of the respiratory organs. Phthisis, or
consumption, has not discovered the same tendency to in-
crease, the numbers ascribed to this disease in the last three
weeks having been 125, 123, and 135. This last number,
however, is somewhat greater than the corrected average.
Next to the above class in its contingent of mortality, and
nearly equal to it, is that of epidemics, among winch typhus,
scarlatina, and small-pox are the most fatal. Sixty-twe
persons, of whom 23 were children, 33 were 15 years of age
and under 60, and 6 were 60 years and upwards, were car-
ried off by typhus, continued tever, &c. In the workhouse,
Bishopsgate, the son of a labourer, aged 4 years, died on
19th Niivember, of "petechial fever (15 days), broncho-
pneumonia (4 days)." This child was admitted with its
mother a month ago from 3, Harrow-alley, Aldgatc, the
father also lying ill with fever in the men's house. Mr.
Spencer observes that the place they came from is situated
amongst a number of slaughter-houses, close and confined,
the houses being in a dirty state, and mostly crowded by
Irish of the poorer claw. In the sub-district of Mile-end,
New-town, at 2, Dyer's-court, Booth-street, on 17th Novem
ber, the daughter of a labourer, aged 5 years. died of low
fever. The medical officer reports that "this is the third
death within the last three months in the same family. The
water-closets are in a very bad state."
The number of fatal cases of scarlatina registered last
week was 45. In corresponding weeks of ten previous
years the number ranged from 17 to 118. In Peddington,
at 10S, freed-street, on 16th November, the daughter of a
cordweiner, aged 10 years, died of " scarlatina, malignant
sore throat (a days)." The medical attendant of this case
states that the deceased had lived in a cold and damp
kitchen. _ _

Last week small-pox carried off 26 children, and 5 per-
sons of 15 years of age and upwards. In four of these cases
it is stated that the patients had at some previous time been
Vaccinated. _ _ _

Amongst other causes of death are measles, which car-
ried off 19 children, heaping cough 27, croup 7; diarrhrea,
of which 21 persons died, influenza 3, purpura 3, remittent
fever 1, rheumatic fever 1, erysipelas 12 ; 4 children died of
syphilis, 8 from want of breast milk and inanition, and two
were suffocated in bed. At Woolwich a bur of ten years
died of " disease of the hip (nearly two years)." It is added
that he injured himself in endeavouring to imitate some
strolling tumblers, who were passing through the town.
The births of 723 boys and 6.18 girls, in all 1,381 children,
were registered last week. The average of ill correspond-
ing weeks in 1815-50 was 1,330.
At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean height
of the barometer last week was 29.778 in. The mean tem-
peniture was 35.1 deg., or nearly 9 degrees lower than the
average of corresponding weeks in 10 years. The air was
coldest ou Monday and Wednesday, when the daily means
were 31.7 deg. and 30'8 deg., which are respectively 12 deg.
and 13 deg. below the averages of corresponding days. The
wind blew for the most part from the north.