The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-06 00:00:00

HEALTH OF THE METROPOLIS.

(From the .Registrar-General's Weekly Return.)
The total number of deaths registered in the week that
ended last Saturday was 1,679. The average number for
the 13th week in ten years, 1854-63, is, with a correction
for increase of population, 1,547. The actual result is
therefore in excess of the estimated number by 132.
The deaths of young persons—viz., those under 20 years
of age—were numerous. They rose to 813. which is higher
than the number returned in any week, with only one ex-
ception, during the present year.
The deaths from pneumonia, or inflammation of the
lungs, rose to 122, which is more than they had been in
any of the eight previous weeks, while the corrected ave-
rage is 107. Phthisis was fatal in many cases ; 214 deaths
were referred to it, and 215 to bronchitis, the averages for
these two diseases being respectively 174 and 162. Seventy-
nine children died of whooping-cough, all of them under 10
yors, and a great majority under two years of ago. No
lees than six deaths from whooping-cough were in Lime-
house. Out of 55 deaths from measles, five occurred in the
east sub-diefrict of Islington.
Five fatal accidents on the streets by waggons, cabriolets,
or rather carriage, were recorded in the week.
A child died from having swallowed a halfpenny a year
previously ; it caused eztteritis and marasmus.
A woman, aged 40 yearn, died in the workhouse, West-
minster, on the 18th ult., from " destitution and low fever."
The widow of a bricklayer, died on the 25th ult., at 4,
Acorn-street, St. Botolph, from " dropsy, accelerated by
want of proper nourishment."
Last week the births of 1,072 boys and I,oBllgirls, in all
2,153 children, were registered in London. In the ten cor-
responding weeks of the years 185463 the average number
(corrected) was 2,161.
- - - -

At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean height
of the barometer in the week was 29.439 in. The reading
fell to 28b93in. on Monday, and rose to 29.8.5 in. on Saturday.
The mean temperature of the air in the week was 41.0 deg.,
which is 2.2 deg. below the average of the same week in 43
years (as determined by Mr, Glaisher). The lowest night
temperature was 28.9 deg. on Sunday. The highest day
temperature was 54.4 deg. on Saturday. The range in the
week was therefore 25.5 deg. The mean daily range was
17.0 deg. The difference between the mean dew-point
temperature and air temperature was 7.6 deg. The mean
degree of humidity of humidity of the air was 75, complete
saturationbeing represented by 100. The directions of the
wind were south-west and north-west. The whole amount
of rain was 0,12 in., which fell on three days. There were
occasional hail showers, and thick snow fell early on the
morning of Wednesday. The mean of the highest tempera-
tures of the water of the Thames was 44'5 deg. ; that of the
lowest 42.3 deg.

SIR ROWLAND HTLL.—The following memoria
was presented to Lord Palmerston on Monday last
—" To the Right Hon. Viscount Palmerston, eke., ke.
We, the undersigned, merchants and shipowners, under-
writers, and insurance brokers, subscribers to Ll3yd's, re-
spectfully bag leave to represent to your lordship our
grateful sense of the special public services of Sir Rowland
Hill, late Secretary of her Majesty's Post Office, and
which we humbly consider justly entitle him to a large
and exceptional public reward. In the social and com-
mercial benefits derived from the admirable Post-office
improvements, inaugurated and successfully carried out I
through the invention and labours of Sir Rowland Hill,
we have all largely participated, and we cannot value
life pensions to Sir Rowland Hill and Lady Hill, at their
advanced ages, as a sufficient compensation for such extra-
ordinary public benefits. We therefore respectfully beg to
express to your lordship our humble hope that her Ma-
jasty's Government will advise a parliamentary grant of a
definite sum of public money as a part recognition of the
valuable public services of Sir Rowland Hill. We have
the honour to be, &a."
SHOCKING SUICIDE OF A WOMAN.—
An inquiry
was held on Monday at the Green-gate Tavern,
City-road, by Mr. Humphreys, Middlesex coroner, respect-
ing the suicide of Mrs. Harriet Hughes, aged 32 years.
Robert Hughes, 28, Great Arthur-street, said that deceased
was his step-daughter. She was married, but was living
with a hatter, named Willoughby, at 14, Crown-court, Old-
et.
going Some few days since Willoughby left her, and said
he Old-
street.
was
to be married. On his telling her this she
s
was almost mad. On Saturday morning witness went to
see her, and upon entering the room he found her lying
dead upon the floor. Her lips were black and charred from
the action of poison, and a broken phial and mug lay beside
her hand. It was proved that deceased had swallowed the
poison on the previous evening, immediately after she had
had an interview with Willoughby. Dr. Crofts said that
the stomach and intestines were shockingly injured by the
action of oxalic acid, of which she had taken a large quan-
tity. Verdict—Suicide while of unsound mind,