The Express.
London, England, 1866-10-05 00:00:00

DRURY LAYE.

Tats ETIMNO, MACniii7 Haan. 11. Sullivan, Swinlyourne,
Mead, & Phelps, Henri Drayton, &c.: Mesdames Any Bedip
ark Bauer, Isaacs, @c.—And THE COMEDY OF PAILOItti.
The Webb.

FAINC:Mr&

Ts= Erman, THE 'ling./. ALLIANCE.—After which TEE
BUGUICIOT CAITAIN. Messrs. Vining •ud G. Hooey; Mimes
Edbon, Augusta Thomson, and Mrs. SUrting.—And QUIET
LODGINGS.

MAYNAILERT.

Tam EVIIIIITNO, UNCLE FOOLLE. Meows. Chippendale, Howe,
de. Mesdames Chippendale, Wright, dc..—USED UP. Mr. C.
Mathews—Ballet Divertissement Misses Christine and Moles
Bealey.—A COMICAL COUNTESS.—MY HUSBAND'S GHOST.

STRAND.

Tim Eviatnre, THE MARRIED BACHELOR.—Aftar which
WAITING FOR TIEN UNDERGROUND.—The latest Edition
Cl KENILWORTH.—And JACK'S DELIGHT.

BRITANNIA.

mm EsitiMVO, THESTKAYki Mrs. E. Yarnold.—The
Wondrous Brothers Vletorelll on the Treble Trapeze ; The Great
Vsfal Troupe: The Delaranti : H. Wardlni ; The Louisville
—And THE FALSE MOTHER.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE

Tues Afternoon, Oh Om.
To-miniow—morntug, uh lot Afternoon. Oh. 3Am.

LONDON, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5.

Duanvo the last thirteen weeks, according to
the RZGISTRAR-GEXERAY:B return, 4,714 persons
have fallen victims to cholera, and 2,298 deaths
have been caused by diarrhoea in the metropolis.
Practically it is not possible to decide exactly
where diarrhoea ends and cholera begins, so that
for purposes of comparison it is best to combine
the numbers, and to consider that 7,012 persons
have lost their lives through choleraic disorder.
This figure represents the mortality during what,
by a pleasing stretch of the imagination, we may
term the summer months. This is a terrible total,
and one which in all probability will some day be
looked back upon with astonishment, if not with
incredl.lttn irom thci .-scent
outbreak to make us feel that if we do not as yet
know the whole truth respecting " explosions" of
cholera in cities, we are able to recognise the
enormous danger to which we are continually ex-
posed by our miserable system of water supply: But
if we contrast this figure with the records of past
epidemics, the result will afford us no small con-
solation and hope for the future. In 1864, dur-
ing the summer quarter, choleraic disorder de-
stroyed 11,777 persons in the metropolis. In
1849 no less than 15,643 lives were sacrificed to
the same disease during a similar period. In the
figures 16,643, 11,777, and 7,012 we observe
this curious relation—the deaths in 1849 exceeded
those in 1854 by about 4,000, whilst those in
1866 fell short of the mortality of 1854 by an
almost precisely similar number. The coincidence
here must of course be looked upon as accidental,
or at least as non-essential. But the steady de-
cline in fatality of a disease wnich, so far as indi-
vidual cases have gone, shows that it has lost
none of its virulence, is a fact of impor-
tance, and one which must be considered
as in the highest degree reassuring. It
is a curious instance of the contempt which is
brought about by familiarity with danger, that
although the deaths from choleraic disorder last
week averaged 34 daily, there is a very preva-
lent popular idea that cholera has almost vanished
from London. At the outset of the epidemic, a
much smaller figure than this was sufficient to
fill the public mind with apprehension, and even
to stimulate the local authorities to unwonted
exertions. Now, however, the same bodies are
quietly ending the various arrangements which
have been in force for the purpose of house-to-
house visitation and medical assistance to the poor.
We must repeat what we have before urged, that
such a step as this is still premature. The disease
is doubtless declining, but by no means at such a
rate as to warrant us in feeling free from danger.
This will be seen very clearly by a reference to the
figures during September. They stand thus :
First week, 289 deaths from cholera and diarrhoea ;
second week, 292 ; third week, 248 ; fourth week,
240. Computing the average daily deaths in each
week the figures ran thus : 41, 43, 35, 34. So
small a decline during weather which was un-
usually ill adapted for the extension of choleraic
influence may well make us feel some anxiety now
that the thermometer and barometer have risen,
and October seems disposed to change places with
August. The tone of the Raotantaa-Gartesm.'s
return betrays the same feeling. " The cholera
" matter" he says, " is now diffused very equally
" all over London ; and as the waters of the
" upper Thames, of the Lea, and of the wells be-
" come infected, the utmost exertions of the autho-
" rities will be required to ensure its decline."
We learn from the same source that in Dublin the
number of fatal cases is still increasing ; 98 per-
sons died of cholera in that city beat week as
against 65, 55, 52, 41 in the four weeks pre-
viously. It is evident that the different quarters
of our metropolis have no reason to expect an
immunity simply because the outbreak at the
East End has culminated and declined. For prac-
tical purposes they may be considered as so many
distinct towns, and in themselves just as liable to
a weekly increase of the disorder when once it
has invaded them se Dublin, Manchester, or any