The Sun.
London, England, 1865-04-12 00:00:00

CAUSES OF DEATH.

The principal causes of death ha,ve been as follows : Phthisis
82, tabes and scrofula 46, hydrocephalus 10, pneumonia and
bronchitis 116, continued fever 29, scarlet fever 33, measles
12, whooping cough 11, cramp and diphtheria 22, alvine flux
20, and erysipelas 5, making together 138 deaths from tuber-
cular diseases; 116 from inflammatory affections of the
lungs, and 132 from diseases of a zymotic character ; besides
which there were 35 deaths from teething and convulsions,
and 46 from violence and privation. All these were nearly
in the proportion of former years, the deaths from violence
and pulmonary consumption being a little above the aver-
age, while those from scarlet fever and measles were a little
below it. In the course of the quarter there were 2,737 cases
of sickness attended among the poor by the union medical
officers ; and of these 237 were returned as cases of fever
and 106 as diarrhcea. The average number for the autumn
quarters of the last seven years were 2,861 cases of sick-
ness, of which 200 aro fever and 126 diarrhoea.

METEOROLOGY OF THE QUARTER.
The meteorology of the quarter was shown in one of the
appendices attached to the report, and the facts were from
observations at Guildhall, under the superintendence of Mr.
Haywood. The mean temperature of the quarter had been
a little below the average for the season. The highest tem-
perature in the quarter (66.6 deg. Fahrenheit) was in the
last week of September. In the two succeeding weeks the
weather was colder than usual to the extent of nearly 2 deg.
below the average ; there then followed a fortnight of com-
paratively warm weather; but from the end of Oct. to Nov.
12, the temperature was very low, reaching to a weekly
average of more than 7 dog. below the normal point. After
this and until the second week in December the weather
was again warm, but later in the month the thermometer
fell to the freezing point ; and at Greenwich, according to
Mr. Glaisher, it fell on Dec. 17 to 19.2 and on the 18th
to 17.3 deg., points which were from 104 to 151 deg.
below the average for the corresponding days of
the last forty-three years. The daily range of the
thermometer had also been great, the maximum being
from 9to 19 degrees. But the most remarkable circum-
stance in the meteorology of the quarter was the very
small amount of rain. In the corresponding quarter of the
last six years the rain-fall had averaged 6.26 inches, but
during the last quarter it amounted to only 3.67 inches. In
humidity of the atmosphere was
it
of October; and
weeks
less than usual; in fact it ranged from only 69 to 77 de-
grees consequence
ef
saturation. of h .
ns
thee
firstthree
generally during the month was remarkably below the
average. Lastly, the number of wet days in the quarter
was but 28, the average being 41. This remarkable dry-
hneasdsnoof tdhoeusebt hadas°
n'especially in the early part of the quarter,
an influence on the sickness and high
mortality which had been generally experienced through-
out the country.
SANATORY wonx.

Tho sanatory work of the quarter might be thus ex-
pressed :-2,167 houses had been inspected, and 802 visits
had been made to the common lodging-houses of the City.
Altogether there had been 438 orders issued for sanatory
improvement ; for cleansing and lime-washing the inte-
rior of houses ; for improving the water supply ; and for
amending the condition of drains.
DISEASED MEAT.

The markets and slaughter-houses had been duly in-
spected, and the officers had condemned 37,0141 b., or
nearly 17 tons of meat, as unfit for human food. It con-
ofmeat ;basides 127 head of game and
6,5811 b. were putrid, and
con-
sisted of 139 sheep, 7 calves, 104 pigs, 247 quarters of
poultrybeef,an,dl93j joints
19,8891 b.
were diseased,
10,5541 b. were from animals that had died from accident or
disease. The quantity of meat seized in the quarter was
not so great as in the corresponding quarters of the last
.two years, and the chief falling off had been in the amounts
seized in Leadenhall market, from which he inferred that
all the seizures of unwholesome meat in that market were
not returned to him ; and if that were so, it was a defect
which needed correction, not only because of the error which
it created in the statistical returns for the market, but also
because it might operate in checking the administration of
justice, by taking from the hand of the Commissioners a

The Solicitor to the Commission, Alexander S. Baylis,
Esq., laid before the Court a report, stating that he had
caused inquiries to be made into the circumstances under
which two carcases of very diseased meat were sent to
London for sale in the month of March last. He found
That in one case the meat formed part of an animal that had
been suffering for some time from lung disease, and subse-
quently been bought for 108., by a man who afterwards
dressed the carcass, and consigned it to London. The
police authorities of the district made known the circum-
stance of the meat being sent to London to one of the in-
spectors of the Commission, and the latter at once intimated
to the salesman that the meat was coming, and must be de-
livered up on its arrival. The inspector afterwards saw .a
bad-looking carcass hanging up in the shop of the salesman,
and asked if it was the meat in question, and it was denied.
The inspector marked the carcass, and told the salesman to
do nothing with it until he had instructions from whom it
came. He afterwards saw the same carcass exposed for sale
in another part of the market, and found on inquiry that
the salesman had sold it after it had been seized. As this
was a case in which the salesman had sold the meat in the
market with a full knowledge of its condition, the solicitor
advised that proceedings should betaken against him under-
the Nuisances Removal Act or otherwise, andalso that pro-
ceedings should be taken against the person who had sent
the meat to London. in the other case the meat, which
consisted of four quarters of beef, formed part of an animal
that had been very diseased, and had been bought for a
small sum, sold, and consigned to London. The sender
had been before convicted for similar offences, and the
solicitor advised that he should be prosecuted under the
Nuisances Removal Act, or at common law. The solicitor
added that the salesman to whom the meat in the latter
case had been consigned refused to state the name of the
sender, which was afterwards found on a piece of paper
adhering to part of the carcass.

The Court at once instructed the solicitor to take the
necessary legal proceedings in both the cases reported upon.
After transacting somo further business the Commis-
sioners adjourned.