The Express.
London, England, 1866-08-08 00:00:00

THE PUBLIC HEALTH.

The weeklyreturn of births and deaths in London
published by authority of the Registrar-General, states that
in the week that ended on Saturday, August 4th, the births
registered in London and twelve other large towns of the
United Kingdom wets 4,086 ; and deaths registered 4,499. '
The annual rate of mortality was 38 per 1,000 persons living.
In London the births of 1,049 boys and 939 girls, in all
1,1188 children, were registered in the week. In the cor-
responding weeks of ten years 1856-65 the average number, '
corrected for increase of population, was 1,914. The
deaths registered in London during the week were 2,661.
It was the thirty-first week of the year ; and the average
number of deaths for that week is, with a correction for
increase of population, 1,395. The deaths in the present
return exceed the estimated number by 1266. There is a
slight increase in the high rate of mortality that ruled in
the previous week. 1,053 persons died of cholera, 354 of
diarrhom making 1,407 deaths from both forms of disease.
The deaths returned in the four last weeks from cholera
were 32, 346, 904, and 1,063; from diarrhom 150,
1221, 347, 354. The deaths from cholera exceed by
149 the deaths in the previous week ; the excess in the
total deaths is only 61. Of cholera and diarrhom, 573
children under 5 years of age, 114 boys and girls of the
I age of 5-10 ; 79 of the age 10-20 ; 255 men and women
lof the age 20.40 ; 248 of the age 40-60 ; 127 of the age
60.80; and 11 old people of 80 and upwards.
Deaths from diarrhea or cholera in small numbers
occurred all over the London districts ; in Kensington
Marylebone Pancras, Islington Holborn, the number;
were considerable. In the west districts of London 12
persons died of cholera ; in the north districts 46 (includ-
ing 19 in Islington, 20 in Hackney) • in the central dis-
tricts 31, including 12 in St. Botolph ; in the south dis-
tricts 47, including 21 in Deptford and Greenwich ; while
in the east districts 916 persons died of unequivocal
eholers. Only 16 of the deaths from cholera occurred in
one of the largest of the east districts, Shoreditch. The
violence of the attack is still expended on Bethnal-green,
Whitechapel, St. George's-in-the-East, Stepney, Mile-
end Old Town, and Poplar, including Bow. There
is some subsidence in Poplar and Stepney, but
increased virulence in Bethnal-green and WhitechapeL
The attack has been circumscribed y the same
lines for three weeks in succession. This is no accident ;
the phenomena are due to some specific cause. These
violent outbreaks are ahnost invariably in England the
result of contamination of the waters ; and the question is
subsequently noticed. Upon the assumption that the
waters were at some tune impure, there is this further
aggravation that in the lower districts the water is not
carried away. "It is unfortunately, says Mr. Bazalgette,
" the locality where our main drainage works are not
complete." A temporary pumping station is to be erected
forthwith, and will be in operation in about three weeks
at Abbey Mills.
The East London waters bare been analyzed by Dr.
Frankland, whose report is reassuring ; and Mr. Greer's,
the engineer, is fully alive to the extreme importance of
pure water st the present moment. The waters of shallow
wells and pumps
.are polluted ; and in this crisis the
health of London 11 very much in the hands of our
hydraulic engineers.
The local authorities, who bed not instituted generally
house-to-home visitation, are now on the alert. The sym-
pathy of the whole nation with the sufferers has been
touchingly expressed by her Majesty, and has been pro-
claimed 1)7 the Prime Minister. I:nder these auspices, and
with the intelligent exertions of the people themselves,
we may hope ere long to see the destructive progress of the
stayed.PlaCannual rate of mortality last week was 45 per 1,000 in
London. 23 in Edinburgh, and 20 in Dublin ; 22 in Bristol,
22 in Birmingham, 53 in Liverpool, 38 in Manchester, 30
in Salford, 24 in Sheffield, 34 in Leeds 24 in Hull, 41 in
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and 28 in Glasgow. The rate in
Vienna was 33 per 1,000 during the week ending the 21M
ult., when the temperature was 18.2 deg. Fahrenheit
higher than in the same week in London. where the rats
was 31 per 1,000.

EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE.—The Britieb• organi-
Ration of this body, which has members in all parts of the
world, holds its 20th annual conference in October next.
It had been originally arranged to Loki the general eon-
fwence of the body in liolbuid, but this resolution having
been departed from, a numerously attended meeting of
members and others was held in Ilath, when it was moved
by the Rev. Charles Kemble, rector, seconded by the Bev.
W. If. Dyer, minister of Argyle Chapel, and unanimously
adopted :—",That in view of the postponement of the
general conference of the Evangelical Alliance in Holland,
the council be respectfully and cordially invited to hold
the next autumnal conference of the British organisation
of the Alliance itselfth in October next ; and that thin
meeting pledges to use ever 7 effort, in dependent*
upon the Divine blessing, to impart efficiency and
succor to the proposed assembly of members of the
Alliance, and other friends of Christian union, en that
occasion." At a meeting of committee of council held ea
Monday lest it was unanimously resolved that the above
mantles be medially accepted, and that notice of the
sense be forthwith consmunicated Sotto British and ten*"
Wenches of the Alliance.
Calms PALacs. —A ballad concert will be given
this afternoon at 5 o'clock. Mr. Sims Beeves, Madame
Pampa, Miss Edmonds, Mr. Levy, and otber artistes will
appear. After the cowers the fountains will be tact
and &hard° n'ss, after whisk the peke, will
lumina throughout, unfit f *Week. The
pekoe will be opened as am/ at 10 in the seorskair.