The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-06 00:00:00

HEALTH OF THE METROPOLIS.

(Frain the Registrar's-General's Weekly Return.)

In the week that ended on Saturday 1,642 deaths
were registered in London. The average number
in corresponding weeks of ten years is, with a cor-
rection for increase of population, 1,558. The deaths
of last week were therefore more by 84 than they
would have been if the average rate of mortality
had prevailed.
The births registered in the week were 2,308, so
they were numerous enough to supply the vacancies
caused by death, and to contribute, moreover, 666
lives to the increase of population. 386 persons died
of zymotic diseases, including 15 by smart-pox, 33
by measles, 93 by scarlatina, 13 by diphtheria, 76
by typhus, 51 by whooping cough. Of 313 deaths
assigned to diseases of the respiratory organs 177
were caused by bronchitis, 93 by pneumonia, 22 by
asthma ; phthisis was fatal i❑ 165 cases.
Six cases of infanticide were recorded in the
week. Two deaths occurred from intemperance.
Sixty-four persons died at the age of 80 years and
upwards; a pensioner is registered as having died
Newton street, Shoreditch, on the 29 h of Decem-
ber at the age of 100 years.
Last week the births of 1,176 boys and 1,132
girls, in all 2,308 children, were registered in Lou-
don. In the 10 corresponding weeks of the years
1853-62 the average number (corrected) was 1,828.
METROPOLITAN WATERS IN DECEMBER 1863.

The organic impurity of the London waters, ac-
cording to the analyses of Dr. Robert Thomson,
F.R.S., is still high, although somewhat less than it
was in the preceding month. The greatest amount
was found in the Southwark water, which was
somewhat turbid, and yielded a deposit or standing

—a proof of its imperfect filtration. The Kent water
contained no surface impurity, and no organic matter
in an unoxidiied state. The Dulwich well was most
impure, and mixed with so much sewage products
as to be most unwholesome.

Total Impurity Organic im-
per gallon. purity.
gre. or deg. grs. or deg.
00 0.0

Distilled Water
Loch Katrine water, new supply

to Glasgow _
Manchester water supply
Well at Half Moon-lane, Dul-

wich
THAMES COMPANIES.
Chelsea
Southwark
West Middlesex
Grand Junction
Lambeth
OTHER COMPANIES

13840 22131

' 17'48
21'36
21'08
20'00
20'14

2'38
2.48
2.38
1'52
2'23

.. 24'40
20.08
24'03

Kent
New River
East London

The table is read thus—Loch Katrine water contains in the
gallon 2.3 degrees or grains of foreign matter in solution,
of which •605 degrees or grains are of vegetable or animal

At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean
height of the barometer in the week was 29 946 in.
The barometrical reading was 29.55 in. on Thurs-
day, and increased to 30.42 in. by the end of the
week. The mean temperature of the air in the
week was 33.1 deg., which is 0.3 deg. above the
average of the same week in 43 years (aa determined
by Mr. Glaisber). The highest day temperature
was 52.0 deg. on Tuesday. The lowest night tem-
perature was 25 2 deg. on Saturday. Ttie entire
range of temperature in the week was therefore 26 8
deg. The mean temperature of the water of the
Thames was 42.7 deg. The difference between the
mean dew-point temperature and air temperature
was 6.6 deg. The mean degree of humidity-of the
air was 77, complete saturation being representeo
by 100. The direction of the wind was variable.