The Express.
London, England, 1853-02-16 00:00:00

HEALTH OF LONDON DURING THE WEEK.

Thu official report says:—The increase of mor-
tality announced in the precious return appears to have
bran fully maintained last week. In the week that ended
Bsturday, -An February, the deaths registered were 1,220;
in the week ending 12:h February they were 1,235. The
effect of the cold weather has been to shorten the lives of
more than 460 persons in a fortnight; the number who died
in January, weekly, having been less on the average than
1,000.
In the ten corresponding weeks of the years 1843.52 the
average numbor of deaths was 1,054. which, if raised im
preporunn to increase of population, would give 1,14 for
the last week. Tree present return shows. therefore, thee
the deaths uf last week exceed the estimated amount by 76.
In comp mud the results of the last two weeks it appears
that while cues enumerated under " symotic diseases"
have declined from 231 to 212, those under diseases of the
respiratory organs" leave further increased from 250 to 312.
It as wurtny el notice, boweser, that under one tit the heads
in this latter class, via., pneumonia, there is a decrease.
The following figures show the progress of particular die
man during the last five weeks: Bronchitis was heal is
67, 82, 91, 110, and 168 cases ; asthma in 16, 17, IS. 23, and
42; pneumonia (or inflammation of the lungs) in 68, all, 71,
9-1, and n 7 ; consumption (in the tubercular elan) in 126.
131, 138, 151, and 1;2; hooping-cough in 9S, 49,40, 61, and
63 CAN*. Measles, which destroyed only 3 children in the
pr. nun week, tits suddenly increased, and last week car-
ried off 21. While last week was less fatal to children
than the previous week, it was more fatal to persona of
riper age.
In the Green sub-district of Bethnal-green, at 3, Para-
dise-place, on the 4th and Sth February, the daughter and
son of a stationer, aged respectively 5 years and 3 months,
died of " pneutonna," the former after 17 days',
the latter after 7 days' Wares. Mr. Lane, the medical at-
tendant, states on ins certificates, that "the house in which
these deaths occurred is surrounded by cesspools and an
open drain, and at the back of the premises stands an
offensive oil factory, and that to the poisonous alluvia
arising hour these the deaths are no doubt attributable."
Anil .n the same street (No. 2. Paradise-place), on the 7th
and 10th February, the two sous of a labourer, aged re-
spectively ii months end 6 years, died, the former of •• den.
Mien. pneumonia (13 days), coonstaims (24 hours)," and
the latter of .1 soarlatiaa maligaa (21 days). congestion of
brain (6 days)." Mr. Lillie. medical attendant of the latter
cases, refers to the same factory, observing that it is much
complained of by the neighbours, sod that it throws off
very offensive titian, which " no doubt give rise to
Serious doormen."
In the same ash-district of Bethnal-green, at 12, North-
side, there was registered in the previous week (Ist Feb-
ruary) the death of the widow of a veterinary surgeon,
aged 41 years, from " confirm= small-pox (3 weeks) after
vaccination." Mr. Byte*, medical attends= of this are,
has addressed the following letter to the ltegistrar :—" On
the Ist instant I furwanied to you a certificate of the death
of a lady from confloent mal.pox in Bethnal-gees, in
which 1 alluded to a gross and dangerous nuisance existing
in that locality. It is, as lam led to understand, a factory
for the production of a factitious cod liver oil, and the
nuisance appears to me to be threefold : let, to arise from
aceumulatiuns of putrid fish and fish garbage; 2ndly, from
effluvia arising during the extractios awl from those sub-
stances; ant 3relly, from the most oppressive lector arising,
I judge, from burning the bones and fibre of the fish to
obtain an animal charcoal for the depuration of the oil.
The premises being private and not easily accessible, of
course what I state sin some Mt LOUTS Ce,ljettllflll. 1 can
vouch, however, for the extremely offensive and dangerous
fader arising from then works when in operation, which is
not constantly the case; also for the existence of many eases
of fever with various complications in Amen adjacent to
tho works, and the greater or less disposition to illness ac-
cording to the quarter from which the wind blows when
these processes are gas; forward."
In the Borough-road sub-district, at 81, Bean-street, Friar-
street, on Feb. 6, the son of a journeyman carpenter, aged
3 years, died of '• scarlatina." Mr. Elliott, the registrar,
says:—" I beg to forward a statement made by the mother
of this child, when giving information concerning its
death. It NMI to the following effect :—' Six of my chil-
dren have suffered from this finesse ; four of them have
partially recovered, but my infant, aged 14 months, is now
lying in a very dangerous state The smell from the drain
in the back yard is most offensive ; and at times is so tied
that it makes me faint, and I feel a choking sensation.
My husband cemplained of it to the rent collector about a
month ago, before any of the children had fever, bat he
said the rats had got under the MOW of the kitchen, and ad-
vised us to take a fluor board up and put a cat down.
Nothing has been done to the drain.' Now, if this state-
ment be true, and I have no reason to disbelieve it, here we
have a family prostrated by disease, at least one life seen-
fired, and the health of the neighbourhood endangered by
the neglect either of the landlord or his agent. The man
who knowingly administers poison to one person renders
himself amenable to the law of his country, but not less
culpable is he who wilfully allows poison to disseminate
itself through a whole household."
The following deaths were registered lest week in the
London Fever Hospital :—On the 6th Febniasy a tailor
from Lambeth Workhouse, aged 68 years, " typhus (dura-
tion unknown). In barbel 10 days." On the 7th a
labourer, honest'ss, from West London, aged 28 fears,
" typhus (duration unknown). In hospital 17 days.' On
the Stn a whitesmith from Brownlow-street, Holborn, aged
21 years, " acute rheumatism ; endoearditis (40 days). In
hospital 9 days." On the 9th a messenger from West
London, Union, aged 62 years, " typhus (7 days). In
hospital 7 days." On the 9th a woman from St. George-in-
the-East, aged 18 " fever (8 days). In hospital one
day." On the 12th a labourer from Lambeth Workhouse,
aged 60 years, " typhus (19 days). In hospital 16 days."
Sixteen deaths occurred between the 31st January and
9th February inclusive in the Lambeth Workhouse (Lam-
beth Church sub-district. 2nd part) ; 6 of these occurred
from measles to children, 4of whom had been deserted.
In the Shoreditch Workhouse, on the 10th February, a
man, aged 47 years, died of " carbuncle, paralysis." On
the,th February a woman, aged 41 years, died of " ex-
haustion after the emeariaa operation." At 2, MeniesWes
place, Paul-street, Shoreditch, a booteleser, aged a
died, on the 4th February, of " general decay,
by want and cold." And at 14, Mermaid-yard,
on 6th February, snout- • er is stated to haveligiett
apoplexy at the advance age of 190 years.
Last week the births of 849 boys and 804 girls, in all
1,663 children, were registered in London. In the eight
corresponding weeks of the years 1843-62 the average num-
ber was 1,427.
At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mesa beiolg'
of the barometer in the week was 29.223 in. The mess
daily temperature was below the average on every day of
the week, except Monday, when it scarcely exceeded the
average. On Friday sad Saturday it was less than the
mirage by 8 deg. and 13 deg. The mean of the week was
34.8 deg., which is less by 3.6 deg. than the enrage of the
same week is Ofirey-eight years. The mean dui y tempera-
ture, which was 38.8 dn. on Monday, fell to 30 7 deg. en
Saturday. 'the vied which blew from the south at the
beginning of the week blew from the north or north-east on
the last fear days. The mean dew point temperature was
29.2 deg.