The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-07 00:00:00

HEALTH OF LONDON DURING THE WEEK.

( From the Registrar-General's Report.)
The number of deaths registered in the metropolitan
districts in the week that ended last Saturday was 1,103.
The advance which it shows on previous returns arises
from coroners' cases, many of which were not duly re-
gistered till the end of the quarter, though the deaths
occurred and the inquests were held at dates antecedent
to last week. In the ten corresponding weeks of the
years 1843-52 the average number of deaths was 922,
which, if raised in proportion to increase of population
during these years and up to the present time, becomes
1,014. The actual mortality of last week, therefore, ex-
hibits an excess on the estimated amount of 89.

Fatal cases arising from zymotic or epidemic diseases
are at present, as regards the whole class, fewer than
usual, the total number being 203, while the corrected
average is 244. Hooping-cough, which numbers 47, is
the most fatal amongst the diseases incident to children ;
its average is 33. To small-pox, from which London has
lately been comparatively free, only 3 deaths are referred ;
to measles, 22 ; to scarlatina, 31 ; to croup, 5 ; to diar-
rhoea, 28 ; to dysentery, 6 ; to scurvy, 1 ; to ague, 2 ;
to infantile remittent fever, 4 ; to typhus, &c., 38 ; to
rheumatic fever, 1 ; to erysipelas, 7 ; to syphilis, 4.
In the south sub-district of St. Giles's-in-the-Fields, at
2, Little White Lion-street, on the 29th of June, a boy,
aged 3 years, died of "diarrhoea." There was no medi-
cal attendant. Mr. Faulkner, the registrar, says—
"This child has been sadly neglected. Not being satis-
fied with the cause of death as reported, I visited the
place and found the child in a most emaciated condition.
It had been ill for a long time, and had not received the
slightest attention for the last month." An inquest will
be held.

In the sub-district, Leather-market, Bermondsey, at
Smith's-buildings, on 27th and 28th June, two daughters
of a wood-sawyer, aged respectively 3 and 5 years, died
of " Scarlatina maligna." Mr. Cross, the registrar, ob-
serves—" These, with a previous death, make three that
I have registered in the same family in one week from
scarlatina. Two other children are ill with it, and one
not likely to recover."
At 7, Bowman's-place, North Holloway, on 25th
June, the daughter of a labourer, aged 1 year and 3
months, died of " exhaustion from excessive vomiting."
Mr. Butterfield, the registrar, states that " this child
was prescribed for, and took medicine supplied by, a
chemist and druggist, and was buried at Holloway
Chapel ground without a certificate. There was no in-
quest nor post-mortem examination.'
Three deaths occurred from typhus, all on the same
day (the 28th of June), in the London Fever Hospital.
With reference to one patient, who was moribund on
admission, and died 12 hours after, Mr. Watts remarks,
that "this is too frequently the case; the patient is not
brought to the hospital till his condition is hopeless."
The following deaths from carbuncle were registered
in the week :—At Hammersmith, on 24th June, a gen-
tleman, aged 73 years, " carbuncle on the neck (24
days)." A surgeon, aged 52 years, died on the 27th of
June, of " carbuncle (37 days), pleuro-pericardial in-
flammation, and facial suppurations."
Some additional cases are selected from the returns :
—At 6, Park-cottages, New Cross-road, Deptford, on
24th June, the son of a Wesleyan minister, aged one
year, died of "poisonous effluvia arising from defective
drainage, diarrhoea the consequence (14 days)." At the
Workhouse, Coripice-row, on 28th June, the wife of a
labourer, aged 2:3 years, died of "fright from fire." Six
deaths are ascribed to cases of intemperance.
Last week the births of 856 boys and 855 girls, in all
1,711 children, were registered in London. The average
number in eight corresponding weeks of the years
1845-52 was 1,338. _ _

At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean
height of the barometer in the week was 29'578 in. The
reading of the barometer decreased from 29.58 in. at the
beginning of the week to 29-50 in. by 9h. p.m. on the
26th ; remained at this reading nearly till 9h. p.m. on
the 27th ; incremcd to 29.64 in. by 9h. a.m. on the
28th ; decreased to 29.48 in. by 9h. p.m. on the same
day ; increased to 29.64 in. by 9h. p.m. on the 29th ;
decreased to 29.56 in. by 3h. p.m. on the 30th ; and in-
creased to 30.02 in .by the end of the week. The mean
temperature of the week was 59.1 deg., which is 5.4 deg.
lower than the avt ;rage of corresponding weeks in 38
years. The mean daily temperature was below the
average on every di y of the week, except Tuesday, when
it was 2.4 deg. aboi -e it. On Friday and Saturday, the
depression amountec Ito about 6 deg. The highest tem-
peratures occurred .on Wednesday and Thursday, and
were about 70.5 deg'. ; the lowest occurred on Friday
and Saturday, and .vt ere about 48.5 deg. The greatest
difference between he dew point temperature and the
air temperature occurred on Thursday, and was 16.1
deg. ; the least on Sunday, and was I'4 deg. ; the mean
difference of the wee k was B'2 deg. The wind blew
from the south-west.

MORTALITY lIN THE METROPOLIS.
NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES REGISTERED

IN THE WEEK EN. DING SATURDAY, JULY 2.
Zymotic Diseases
Diseases of Uncertain f. ieat
Tubercular Diseases .
Diseases of the Brain, Nerves, and Senses lOl
Diseases of the Heart a nd Blood-vessels 52
Diseases of the Lux tgs and other Organs of

203

Respiration
Diseases of the Stoma4 Liver, and other Organs

. 121

of Digestion
Diseases of the Kidney. s, &c.
Childbirth, Diseases of the Uterus &c.
Diseases of the Joints, Bones, and Muscles
Diseases of the Skin, Et.c.
Malformations
Premature Birth and :Debility
Atrophy
Old Age
Sudden
Violence, Privation, Cold, and Intemperance ll6
Causes not specified

39

DEATHS FROM ALri CAUSES
Population Deaths in corre- Deaths
Enumerated. spending week in the
1851. of 1852. Week,
West Districts
North Districts ._.... 490,396
Central Districts 393,256
East Districts 485,522
South Districts

Totals

Males
Females.

BIRTHS IN THE WEEK.
Males 856
Females 855

Total .

1,711

1,103

SUICIDE FROM WATEILLOO-BRlDGE.—Yesterday morn-
ing, at an early hour, as some coal porters, engaged on
board the Lerwick barge, moored off Savoy-wharf,
Strand, were proceeding to work, they discovered the
body of a female lying near the shore, at the head of the
barge. A party of the Thames police were near, and on
being hailed, two of the officers left.their galley, and
conveyed the deceased ashore. Mr. Wright, the sexton,
was soon brought from his residence in Fountain-court,
and having procured a shell, the body was conveyed to
the Savoy dead-house for inquest, and, if possible, to be
recognised by her friends and relatives. lhe poor
creature was of short stature, with a light cotton gown,
and about 36 years of age, it is supposed. Neither her
shawl nor bonnet could be found, and it is believed that
she was one of the unfortunate class prowling the streets
at night for a livelihood, and is supposed to be the same
female observed sitting in the upper Middlesex recess of
the bridge at A late hour ou Tuesday night.