The Sun.
London, England, 1852-01-02 00:00:00

(From the Registrar-General's Report.)
The deaths registered in the metropolitan districts
have declined from 1,206, the number returned in the
preceding week, to 1,040 in the week which ended
last Saturday. In the ten corresponding weeks of
1841-50 the deaths ranged from 910 in the year 1845
to 1,403 in the year 1848, and the average was 1,127.
If this average be corrected in proportion to the
greater amount of population now existing, it be-
comes 1,241, compared with which the mortality of
last week shows a decrease of 211.

It appears from a comparison of the results obtained
in the present return with those of the previous week,
that the mortality from nearly all classes of disease
is diminished. Zymotic diseases, which, in the week
ending December 20th, produced 251 deaths, reduced
their number last week to 203 ; diseases of the res-
piratory organs declined from 252 to 219 ; tubercular
diseases from 204 to 140; diseases of the organs of
circulation from 55 to 37 ; diseases of the kidneys
from 15 to 10. Diseases of the digestive organs have
raised the number of fatal cases from 51 to 61 within
the two weeks. _ _

The mortality from phthisis or consumption has
fallen from 150 in the previous week to 98 in the
last. This latter number is lower than usual, for in
corresponding weeks of 1841-50 it ranged from 102
to 160. Among the complaints which form the
class of " diseases of the respiratory organs," the
deaths of last week are distributed as follows :-90
were caused by bronchitis, 96 by pneumonia, 17 by
asthma, 7 by pleurisy, 1 by laryngitis, 8 by diseases
not described in specific terms.
The present return shows that in the zymotic or
epidemic class smallpox was fatal to 23 children and 6
adults, measles to 8 children and 2 persons of 15
years or upwards, scarlatina to 36 children, hooping-
cough to 31, croup to 5, thrush to 1, remittent fever
to 1, infantine fever to 1, diarrhea and dysentery to 21
persons, influenza to 2, purpura to 1, typhus carried
off 42 persons, puerperal fever 7 women (besides
another case of death after childbirth), and erysipelas
9 persons. Two deaths were caused by syphilis, and
5 by noma or cancrum oris.
Of the 29 persons who died of smallpox it is stated
that 3 had been vaccinated, 19 had not been vacci-
nated, and in 7 cases the fact is not mentioned.
At 6, Windsor-street, Bishopsgate, the son of a
labourer, aged 18 months, died of " variola (2
weeks)." Mr. Spencer states that " the house con-
tained 16 families, numbering 83 persons, at the time
of taking the census. The mother of deceased affirmed
that the child had been vaccinated, but without effect.
There are several other children in the house who
have been attacked with the disease, but are re-

covering." In Mile-end Old Town Lower, at 3
Shipwright's-buildings, on the 21st of Dec., the
daughter of a carman, aged one month, died of small-
pox; and on the 231 of December, in the same house,
the son of a domestic servant, aged one year, died of
"suppressed variola (3 days), without vaccination."
The latter child caught the infection from the for •
mer. In Deptford, at 9, Dolt-street, the son of a
labourer, aged three weeks, died of " smallpox, not
vaccinated.' The mother was suffering from small-
pox when this child was born, but has recovered.
The following cases occurred at the Smallpox
-Hospital:—
Oa the 20th of December a female tramp from
Drury-lane ageklo years, died of "small-pox, con-
fluent, modified pneumonia (16 days) ; vaccinated in
infancy at Frankfort ; two good cicatrices." This
child had run away from her parents several times,
and just before her last illness had been from home
fur more than a fortnight, crouching at night in door-
ways and passages about Drury-lane.
On the 20',h of December, a turner and gilder, aged
32 years, from Brandon street, Newington, " small-
pox, confluent,i unmodified (14 days) ; vaccinated
when young ; one indifferent cicatrix."
On the 21st of December, an engineer from Port-
land-place, New Kent-road, aged 16 years, "small-
pox, confluent, unprotected (15 days)."
On the 25th of December, a waggoner from Wil-
liam-street Cottages, Camden-town, aged 21 years,
" smallpox, confluent, unprotected (16 days)."
In the sub•district of St. John, Marylebone, at 5,
Lower William•street, on the 23d of December, the
daughter of a sailor, aged 5 years, died of " scarlet
fever (22 days), abscesses in the neck (7 days)." Mr.
Bachhoffner observes that " this is the second fatal
case of scarlet fever occuring in this family within
seven days. The mother of the children is a laun-
dress, and the wet clothes are dried in the room in
which they live. In the opinion of the gentleman
who attended them the air of the room is unfavour-
able to the health of the inmates."
In St. Andrew Eastern (Holborn), at 29, Lucy's-
buildings, Vine-street, on the 26th of December, a
carman, aged 70 years, died of "typhus (3 weeks)."
Mr. olmes mentions that " Lucy's-buildings are
very close, thickly inhabited by working people, and
the greater part built over the old sewer. The inha-
bitants are very poor. There is a public pump, but
the supply of water scanty."
In Brompton, at 6, Sloane-place, on the 23d of
December, the son of a wine porter, aged one year,
died of " inflammation of the lungs." Mr. Stone re-
ports that " the informant complained much to him
of bad smells arising from a cowshed and pigs being
kept in the immediate neighbourhood. The exist-
ence of this nuisance was reported during the preva-
lence of cholera in 1849."
Mr. Clark, the Registrar of Peckham, says:—
"Although the recent returns for the metropolis
show a considerable increase of mortality above the
average, it deserves notice that in my sub-district,
during the last five weeks, there has been a decrease
of one death per week on the numbers of the five
corresponding weeks of the previous year:'
A few special cases registered last week may be
recorded here :—A birdstuffer, aged 48 years, was
poisoned by arsenic (post mortem). The deceased had
placed some arsenic on bread and butter to poison
mice, and afterwards ate the bread himself, whether
intentionally or by mistake is not known. Oa the
22d of December the son of a cheesemonger, aged 11
years,l,diedirom " rupture of the appendix vermiformis
mei, from the lodgment of an orange pip (5 days)—
pot mortem." In Bethnal-green, at 7, New-street,
Turk-street, on the 26th of September, the son of a
bricklayer's labourer, aged 11 weeks; died of " fits
brought on by inflammation of the bowels and divers
parts of the body, accelerated by want of proper me-
dical treatment (inquest)." A commission agent,
aged 26 years, died of " exhaustion from fasting (in-
quest)." He was a Jew, and was engaged in the
observance of one of the fasts that belong to his re-
ligion. A chemist, aged 24 years, was accidentally
suffocated by inhaling a large quantity of ether.

SEABORNE MAILS.
[N signifies that the malls are sent from the General Post-office
by the night—and M by the morning--dispatch.)

When made up in From what when
PLACES. GeneralPost-odice port dis- due.
London. patched.
America (by Brit. pkt.)N Jan 2 ....Liverpool ..IJail. 5
America (by U.S. pkt.) N'Jan. 6 .. ••
(Liverpool Arrived
America (by U.S. pkt.) M 'Southampt. Jan. 9
Africa (West coast).. N 14th of the month IPlynaoath Jan. 3
Alexandria* •• N 1911 & 30th et mo. Dover .. Jan. 8
Belgium •• •• •• N Daily ......Dover .. Daily
Brazil .. • • .. M 9th of the month Southampt. Jan. 16
Buenos Ayres •• M 9th of the month ,Southampt. Jan. 16
California(viaChatres) bl; 2d & 17th of month Southampt. Jan. 5
Cape of Good Hope /.714th of month Plymouth— Jan. 3
Constantinople* 11-17th 17th 27themoiDover .. Jan. 10
Central America .. bii2cl3D 17th of mon. ISouthampt. Jan. 5
Channel Isles •• N Mon., Wed., & Fri. Southampt. Ta. Th. Sat
Chili 17th of the month Southampt. Jan. 20
France SaNTlTwico daily .. 'Dover Twicedaily
Greece* •• Ni7thl7th27thofmo ;Dover .. Jan. 10
Hamburgh NTuesday & Friday (London Tees. Sat.
Holland •• M'Wednes. & Satnr.'Loudon • Mea.Thur
Honduras .• •• . Nll7th of the mouth'Southampt. ;Jan. 20
Ireland .. •• M & NTvrice daily .. ..IHolyhead..lTwiceditily
India (via Southamp.) 31120th of the month Southanapt. !Jan, 23
ladle (viaMarseillea) *kith& 24th ef month Dover .. Arrived
Mediterranean (via I
Southampton) •• 31 20th of the mOnthlSouthampt. ,Jan. 23
Mediterranean (via
Marseilles) .. N Bth&24th of month Dover .. Arrived
Mexico M 2d of the menth.. Southampt. ,Jan. 5
Madeira' .- 9th of the month Southampt.lJan. 16
7th,17th,19th,27th
Malta* •• •• Jan. 10
& 30th of month
Naples* .. I Dover
•• •• Nlsth 15th 25thofme Dover iJati. 2
Papal States* N sth 15th25thefmolDover Jaa. 2
preainsalar • • •• M 7th 17th 27th of molSouthampt. !Jan. 6
“" • • • • •• M 17th of the month Sonthampt. 'Jan. 20
Tuscany* Nisth 15th 25 th of mo Dover •. Jan. 2
West Indies „ Ml7th of the month Southampt. 'Jan. 20
West Indies (except
Havanna & Nassau) 3/.2d of the menth Southampt. Jan. 5
* The mails to those countries thus marked (5) aro conveyed by
French packet via Marseilles.
The direct llavre mail from London via Southampton during this
month will be made up three times a week only, instead of daily.
Cararoania.—Mails to and from California, ma the United states
are now despatched and duo by every American packet

HEREDITARY FEATURES.
A peculiar thickness of the under lip has been here-
ditary in the imperial House of Hapsburg, ever since
the marriage, some centuries ago, with the Polish family
of Jagellon, whence it came. In our own Royal Family
a certain fullness of the lower and lateral parts of the
face is conspicuous in the portraits of the whole series of
Sovereigns, from George I. to Victoria, and has been
equally marked in other members of the family. The
females of the ducal House of Gordon have long been
remarkable for a peculiarly elegant conformation of the
neck. The Clackmanuanshire Braces, who are de-
scended from a common stock with the famous Robert
Bruce of Scotland, are said to have that strongly-marked
form of the check-bones and jaws which appears on the
coins of that heroic monarch, as it did in his actual face
when his bones were disinterred at Duufermlin,, about
thirty years ago. The prevalent tallness of the inha-
bitants of Potsdam, many of whom are descended from
the gigantic guards of Frederick I ; the Spanish features
observable in the people of the county of Galway, in
which, some centuries ago, several Spanish settlements
were made; and the hereditary beauty of the wooo.n of
Prague—are well-known fairs which have fr- go-n.ly at-
tracted the attention of ehronologibts. The nurges.es
of Rome (the most invariable portion of every popula-
tion), exhibit at the present day precisely the same type
of face and form as their ancestors, whose busts
may be seen carved in relief on the ancient sarcophagi,
and the Jewish phyiognornies portrayed upon the se-
pulchral monuments of Egypt are id;-i,!kal srit..tho2e
which may be observed among modern Jews in the
streets of any of our great cities.