The Sun.
London, England, 1852-02-25 00:00:00

THE SUN,

"My occupation's gone." And then paper-makers
and type-founders must surely find work slacker
and wages lower, now that the newspapers are
dead. And then, again, the cafés and the reading-
rooms—•a very legion—can they do the same amount of
business when they have no newspapers to offer? I
wonder whether the French Dictator has ever thought of
the wide-spread misery he has occasioned, and is
causing, by his enmity to the press. It may be doubted
—else, perhaps, he would never, from motives of per-
sonal or political convenience, have annihilated such an
important branch of human industry, which gave bread
to tens of thousands. It is a fine thing to have a giants
strength, but tyrannous to use it as a giant.

lIEALTROF LONDON DURING THE WEEK.
(From the Registrar-General's Report.)
In the week ending last Saturday the deaths regis-
tered in the metropolitan districts were 1,072, show-
ing an increase of 102 on the return of the previous
week, in which the number was 970. In the 10 cor-
responding weeks of the years 1842-51 the average
was 1,08.5, which, with a correction made for increase
of population, becomes 1,194. The return of last
week exhibits a mortality, therefore, less than the
corrected average by 122.
The increase on the preceding return arises princi-
pally from diseases of the respiratory organs, which
were fatal in the former week to 185 persons, in the
latter to 203. I'hthisis or consumption (in the tuber-
cular class) destroyed 122 and 155 lives in the two
successive weeks. It will be observed also that,
while the deaths from pneumonia rose in the same
' period from 54 to 74, those from bronchitis decreased
from 98 to 93. In connexion with these facts, it
seems necessary to remark that the mean weekly tem-
perature, which in January was generally above 40,
and is the first week of February rose to 47, declined
in the second week to 38.8, and last week it was 39.8.
Last week 21 children and four adults were carried
off by smallpox. In the Smallpox Hospital one death
occurred on the 13th February, and 2 on the 14th,
viz.—a labourer from Kensington, aged 21 years,
died of "smallpox, confluent, unprotected (12 days),"
a porter from Saffron-hill, aged 31 years, " smallpox,
confluent, unprotected (14 days)," and a carman from
Broad-street, Lambeth, aged 23 years, " smallpox,
confluent, unprotected (8 days)." In the whole 25
cases it is only stated in three that the sufferers had
been previously vaccinated.
At 30, Great Ormond-street, Queen-square, on the
16th February, an emigration agent, aged 22 years,
died of "typhus (12 days)." Mr. Goodhugb, the
registrar, states that the fatal disease was " caused by
foul air arising from the drains of the house." In the
sub-district of Hackney-road, at 13, Turville-street,
the daughter of a stick-dresser, aged 6 years, died on
the 13th February, of typhus (14 days), convulsions
(5 days)." Mr. Murray describes the street as "close,
crowded, and imperfectly drained,"land he adds that
Turville-place, where a child died of hoopingcough,
is a " close, over-crowded, and ill-drained court."
Oa the 13th of February, at Farm-house, Harrow-
street, Borough-road, a labourer, aged 60 years, died
of "carbuncle (3 days), typhoid fever."
In 1851, 11 of the general hospitals of London
had 2,762 resident patients, and 2,266 deaths took
place in the year; the mortality on the population
was therefore more than 82 per cent. The patients
only remained, on an average, 34 days in hospital ;
29,857 passed through the wards ; and the mortality
was therefore 7.59 per cent. in the 34 days. About
92 in 100 who enter leave the London Hospitals
alive.
The average number of lunatics in 20 asylums was
3,748 ; the deaths in the year 1851 were 394 ; the
annual rate of mortality was therefore 10.51 per cent.
But the patients remained 1.68 years in those asy-
lums ; and only 2,233 were discharged recovered, re-
lieved, unrelieved, or dead; consequently 17.64 in 100
cases terminated fatally, and of 100 who enter 82.36
leave the asylums alive.
In the Fever Hospital there were 11.37 deaths to
100 cases under treatment on an average 38 days,
which implies that the rate of mortality was 110.53
deaths annually to every 100 patients constantly resi-
dent (100 occupied beds). In the Consumption
Hospital 15- 74 deaths occurred in 100 cases under
treatment about 76 days ; the rate of mortality im-
plies, therefore, that among a population consisting
exclusively of persons labouring under consumption,
the mortality would be 75.56 per cent. annually, as
represented by hospital experience.

STATE OF THE WEATIIER DURING THE PAST WEEK.
SUNDIY.—The sky was for the most part covered with
cloud throughout the day. The magnets were disturbed ;
an aurora was seen at Hawarden near Chester. Electricity
—Nothing was shown during the first five days of the week.
MONDAY.—The sky was overcast throughout the day.
A slight shower of rain fell at Ih. P.M., and rain fell during
the evening. The magnets were disturbed; an aurora was
seen at Glasgow and York.
TuEsna-r.—The clouds were broken at noon, otherwise the
sky was overcast throughout the day. The magnets were
disturbed.
W EDNESDAY.—The sky was one-half covered with cloud
during the morning and afternoon, and clear at night. The
magnets were disturbed.
TIIURSDAY.—The sky was for the most part clear till near
noon, and covered with cloud generally during the remainder
of the day. The magnets were very greatly disturbed;
a remarkable aurora was seen at many places.
FEIDAY.—The sky, with slight exceptions, was clear
throughout the day. The magnets were disturbed; an aurora
was seen at Hastings. Electricity—Positive, with moderate
tension during the afternoon.
SATURDAY.—The sky was clear till lh. r 31., and overc Ist
during the remainder of the day. Rain fell during the
evening. Electricity—Positive, and tension moderate
throughout the day.
The mean reading of a thermometer placed on the main-
mast, and read each day at 9h. a.m. was 39.7° ; and the mean
reading at 911. P.M. was 40.2°; the mean readings at the
Loyal Observatory for the same times were 38.0 q and 3S•4°
respectively.
The reading of the barometer decreased from 30 09 in.
at the beginning of the week to 29.49 in. by 9h. A 31. on
the 18th ; and increased to 30.24 in. by the end of the week.

MORTALITY in the METROPOLIS.
NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES REGISTERED IN
THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, FEB. 21, 1852.
Epidemic, Endemic, and Contagious Diseases _41192
Diseases of Uncertain Seat ... 56
Tubercular Diseases ... 213
Diseases of the Brain, Nerves, and Senses... ... 120
Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels 54
Diseases of the Lungs, and other Organs of
Respiration ..„ 203
Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs

of Digestion... - -
••• ... -•• ...
Diseases of the Kidneys, &c. •• . ...
Childbirth, Diseases of the Uterus, &c. ...
Diseases of the Joints, Bones, and Muscles
Diseases of the Skin, &c. ... ... ...
Malformations._ ... ... ... ...
Fromature Birth ... ... •• •••
atrophy
••• ... ...
Old Age ••• ••• ••• ••• ...
Sudden ...
...
...
... ... ...
Violence. Privation, Cold, and Intemperance
Causes not specified ... ... ... II••

... 50

••• 14
••• 7
••• 10
..„ 2

.. 4

DEATUS FROM ALL CAUSES ... ... 1,072
Population Deaths
Deaths in cone-
Enumerated, spending week in the
1851. of Mi. Week,.
Kest Districts... 376,427 . . 179 ... 155
North Districts.. 490,396 .. 250 ... 211
Central Districts 393,256 ... 216 ... 187
East Districts ... 485,522 ... 285 ... 233
south Districts .. 616,635 ... 283 ... 286

T0ta15........ 2,3e2,236
Males ...
Femalos

••• 1,213 ... 1,072
.
••• ••• .. 514
..• 523
... •••

BIRTHS IN THE WEEK.

Pilules ...
Females ...

... 765

... 821

Total ... 1,539
*ln this number aro included 29 by Scarlatina, 34
by Typhus Fever, and 19 by Diarrhoea.

"IS LOW-PRICED GAS CHEAP GAS?"

Under this rather significant and " taking" but not
very sensible or logical title, Messrs. John Tallis and
Company have published a sheet of letter-press, in
which they state their case of complaint against the
Central Gas Consumers' Company for charging them
2371. odd for one year's supply of gas, in place of 129/.
odd charged previously by the Chartered Gas Company.
The gas of the former company, they allege, bas less
powerful heating properties than that of the latter; and
as their
principal use of gas appears to be for heating
purposes, they have hence required to consume a great
deal more gas than before. On this ground they not
very correctly conclude, that as the gas complained of
yields less heat, it must also yield less light, which does
not necessarily follow, but rather the very contrary. We
do not mean to constitute ourselves special pleaders for
the Central Gas Company,
however, whose unseemly
proposal of amalgamation with an antagonist to whom
they stocd opposed as consumers against monopoly and
overcharge, and who made desperate endeavours to
which could not but cause a withdrawal of
destroy them as such-5'
once threw a stain of suspi-
cionmay confidencebee
Bth
fromem them. For all that we know, their gas
w
inferior in every respect to the Chartered Com-
pany's hsetrii:t statement,
their priced"
T ai
- u
vizicdifheap,orto
Messrs.lo
noted—nay, according ; .
their still cheaper—articlenut there is something
glaringly inconsistent s
~
in the conclusion!, Messrs. Tallis
wish thereby to establish` ome low-priced" gas, may
"low-priced" gas, according -
be bad ; but equally
their own admissien, is good; indeedthe Chartered
have
Company,k to whose gas they returned, net only
,"arge just 4s. a thousand cubic feet, as the Consumers'
`-'°a•Priny do, but, more than that, have engaged to
supply all Messrs. Tullis want for 1101. a year instead of
2371! The fallacy, however, does not rest here merely.
Much high-priced gas is also bad. Are we to conclude,
then, that high-priced gas is cheap, even though it were
proved that low.priced gas is dear? The whole argu-
mcnt is a tissue of
inconsequent absurdity. The quality
of the gas of the Central Consumers' Company ought,
nevertheless, to be closely criticised and tested, both as
to its heating and its lighting quality; for the state-
ment of Messrs. Tallis is assuredly startling, and it is
afleaed to be by no means a solitary or exceptional one.
—Builder.
__ _

Her Royal Highness the -bucheas of Kent has
of 50/, for, the benefit of the liolmfirth
sufferers;
given a donation
and a donation c I 1001. to the Society for Ira-
proying the Dweilipp of the Poor at Wilkdis9r.