The Express.
London, England, 1866-11-28 00:00:00

ippeausni

THE HEALTH OF LONDON.

It appears from the return issued by authority
of the Registrar-General that in the week that ended on
Saturday, November 24, the births registered in London and
twelve other large towns of the United Kingdom
were 4,274 ; the deaths registered 3,070. The annual rate
of mortality was 26 per 1,000 persons living. In London
the births of 1,101 boys and 1,034 girls, in all 2,135 chil-
dren, were registered in the week. In the corresponding
weeks of ten years, 1856-65, the average number, corrected
for increase of population, was 1,093. The deaths regis-
tered in London during the week were 1,435. It was the
forty-seventh week of the year ; and the average number of
deaths for that week is, with a correction for increase of
population, 1,638. The deaths in the present return are
less by 173 than the estimated number. Eight deaths
from cholera, 26 from diarrhea were registered during the
week. For the first time since the origin of the epidemic
the number of deaths by cholera is less than the number of
deaths by diarrhudi. The deaths by cholera during the
last seven weeks -were 9117, 144 112, 73, 1,7, 32, and 8 ;
while the weekly deaths by rliarrhuia fell form 47 to 26 in
the same time. It must be allowed that the circumspection
of the most dangerous, epidemic of the year in London is
very much due to the measures by which it has been
combated ; and the time has now come for the extension
of similar measures to the extinction of other zymotic
diseases, such as typhoid fever. The companies supplied
each house with a metric ton of water daily in October.
Dr. Frankland's analyses of the waters for November are
given in the appendix. Dr. Letheby, in the sppendix,
has described the array of disinfectants, which have been
employed under his instructions in the city i and has laid
down rules for their use at once clear, judicious, and prac-
tical. If, with other wise measures, disinfection is strictly
carried out, it is probable that the weekly deaths by
diarrhea 20, fever 55, whooping-cough 31, measles 26,
small pox 26. scarlatina 42, and diptheria 3, will be much
reduced during the coming winter. The deaths of four
persons who were killed by vehicles in the streets,
and of 14 children and three adults who
died from burns or scalds were registered in the week.
The annual rate of mortality last week was 24 per 1,000
in London, 30 in Edinburgh, and 31 in Dublin ; 22 in
Bristol, 24 in Birmingham, 31 in Liverpool, 30 in Man-
chester, 18 in Salford, 22 in Sheffield, 20 in Leeds, 26 in
Hull, 32 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and 29 in Glasgow. The
rate in Vienna was 30 per 1,000 during the week ending the
10th inst., when the temperature was 0.6 deg. Fahrenheit
lower than in the same week in London, where the rate
was 23 per 1,000.

DISEASED MEAT. —At the weekly meeting of the
Commissioners of Sewers of the City of London, held yes-
terday at Gulldhallhlr. De Jersey, the chairman of the
commissioners, presiding—Dr. Letheby, the medical officer
of health fur the City of London, reported that 2,275 lbs.
weight of meat, oonsi,ting of the carcases of sheep, pigs,
and calves, and a large number of jointa of all descriptions,
had been seized at the different markets as being unfit for
human food, on Recount of being diseased, putrid, or the
animals having died from accident. He also made a special
report with regard to a large quantity of meat that bad
been seized at Newgate market, which was imported from
Erlenge and Rotterdam, and which was quite unfit for
human food on account of disease. This meat had by
some means escaped the inspection at Blackwell, where it
WAS landed, and had been sent up to the London markets
to be disposed of for human food, bet the whole
of it had been condemned and destroyed. A large
seizure of meat of the same description was also made at
Aldgate market on the T3rd of November, which had been
sent from Holland, but which was quite unfit for human
food. The whole of this meat was in such a condition
that it ought to have been seized at Blackwell immediately
it was landed, and Dr.Letheby suggested that a commum-
oation should be made to the Custom-house authorities in
order that a more strict inspection should be made of the
foreign meat that was landed at Blackwell. If the meat
in question had not been consigned to the city markets, it
was very probable that the whole of it might have been
used in some way for human food. The court agreed
with the suggestion of Dr. Letheby, and directed that a
communication should be made to the Custom-house au-
thorities upon the subject. Dr. Letheby also reported a
very satisfactory sanitary condition of the City of London,
the amount of mortality during the week being very
considerably below the average of the last five years.
TuE MURDER NEAR NOTTINGRAII.—The inquest
on the body of Mr. Raynor was resumed yesterday. The
evidence of the medical men went to show that strangula-
tion was the cause of death. After some additional evidence
had been taken the inquiry was again adjourned. The hat
and watch of the murdered man are still missing. The
pollee are actively engaged searching the premises of
Watson, as also the neighbouring grounds, as yet, how-
ever, without success.
ANOTHER GREAT FIRE AT HIII.L.—The Eastern
Morning News of yesterday says:—" Hardly have the
embers at the late fire in Carlisle-street cooled before the
town is again alarmed by the report of a conflagration
which, if happily not fatal in its results, haa, at any rate,
led to an immense destruction of very valuable merchan-
dise. About a quarter before two o'clock the warehouses
in the occupation of Messrs. English and Co., on the Gar-
rison-aide, were discovered to be in flames. An alarm was
raised, but before the police arrived—which they did
promptly, under the superintendence of luspe:tors
Dorsey, Grace, and Hobson—the fire had got such
hold as to defy almost any efforts that might
be Made towards its suppression. The large yard
and building were stored with hundreds of bar-
rels of tar, and the combustible nature of the material
caused the conflagration to spread with alarming rapidity.
The hose could not be got into play, owing to the absence
of fire-plugs on that aide of the river, and the police
were compelled to stand idle spectators. Two years ago
the large warehouse adjoining, and now in the occupation
of Messrs. Oxtoby and Sons, caught fire, and on that
occasion the same difficulty lase experienced, but, the tide
permitting, a couple of hose were carried across the river,
and, plenty of water being at hand, the progress of the
flames was retarded. This morning, however, a strong
current was running, and at three o'clock—the time at
which we write—nothing had been done in this direction.
Inspectors Dorsey and Hobson engaged boats, and the
police • waded nearly to their middle in mud, but
were unable to get the hose semis, and in all probability
the new warehouse.a will become a prey to the fire. A
number of willing labourers were set to work, and they
did good service by removing a large quantity of the tar,
but there is still food for the flames, and there is no know-
ing where the disaster will terminate. Pails of water were
thrown on to the opposite building, but as well might the
attempt be made to stem the tide as to expect to subdue
the raging element by this means. At the time we went
to press no fire-engine had arrived on the scene, otherwise
much valuable property might have been saved, for thers
was sufficient water in the harbour for all purposes. It
WAS impossible under the exciting circumstances to obtain
any approximate idea of the damage, but it will nossmarily
involve several thousands of pounds."
There were three deaths from diarrhcea and one
from cholera registered in Loudon on Sunday sad
Monday. -