The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-06 00:00:00

STATE OP THE PUBLIC HEALTH.

There died last quarteTinEniaTid;;cl Wales 103,341
persons. The period was unhealthy, and a greater
number of lives was lost to the population than in any
other autumnal quarter of the last 13 years, with only
two exceptions : the fourth quarter of 1846, when the
deaths rose to 108,937 ; and that of 1847, when they
were 103,479. The annual mortality has been at the
rate of 2.252 per cent. in the 10 years 1843-52 ; it was
2.186 'in the last quarters of those years ; and last
quarter it was 2.272. Cold weather towards the close
of the year thinned the ranks both of old and young, and
the latter class have also suffered much from fever,
especially scarlatina, in many parts of the country.
London makes a large contribution to this excess of
mortality ; for in the metropolitan division the deaths in
October, November, and December rose to 16,390,
which is more by 2,709 than took place in the same
quarter of the previous year. In the last fourteen weeks
of 1853, 17,390 persons died in London, and more than
the usual proportion of these were carried off by zymotic
diseases (those of epidemic character), principally cholera,
typhus, scarlatina, hooping-cough, and diarrhcea. Cho-
lera and typhus killed almost equal numbers, viz., 728
and 724 ; scarlatina and hooping-cough were rival powers
of destruction, for 688 and 667 are claimed as their re-
spective shares ; 565 deaths were caused by diarrhcea,
besides 41 by dysentery. It is to be observed that
these diseases, severally, not only produced more
than the average number of deaths in this quarter,
but showed a disposition to increase as the year drew to
a close. In the summer months cholera was fatal in 137
cases, it rose to 728 in autumn ; typhns (including con-
tinued fever, &c.) rose in the same periods from 585 to
724 ; scarlatina from 397 to 668 ; and hooping-cough
from 426 to 667. Diarrhoea forms an exception, having
declined from 1,232 in the summer to 565 in the autum-
nal quarter. Croup nearly doubled its comparatively
small rate of mortality, and measles also became more
fatal towards the end of 1853.
Whilst the young suffered from their peculiar
diseases, the old had their own maladies to contend
with. The number of deaths at all ages from diseases
of the respiratory organs (exclusive of phthisis and
hooping cough) were, in the 14 weeks 3,291. There
died between 600 and 700 more than is usual
in the same season. Bronchitis was fatal in 1,460
cases, pneumonia in 1,389, phthisis in 1,914; 15 per-
sons in London suffered death from cold, and the priva-
tion from some cause, of necessaries of life ; were the
victims of their own intemperate habits. It is probable
that want in some cases and vicious indulgence in spirits
in many others produced disease or carried it to a fatal
issue, where the register does not reveal their operation.
In the last quarter large town populations were un-
healthy, but, judging from the mortality, smaller towns
and the inhabitants of the open country appear to have
enjoyed as much health as usual. In 117 districts, com-
prising the chief towns, the rate of mortality per annum
was 2,778 to 100 inhabitants, the annual mortality in 10
autumn quarters (1843-52) was 2.634. In 507 districts,
consisting chiefly of small towns and country parishes,
the mortality was 1.911 ; the average was 1'965,
Country registrars refer in their reports to measles
and other complaints prevailing among children ; in
some instances these appeared in a mild form, andi n
others not mentioned they were probably much less de-
structive than in towns.

"In fact, the absence almost entirely of the usual
vibrating motion from the screw in this ship appears to
me to be among the greatest of her many numerousgood
qualities, and confirms a pr evious account you received
on this point.

" We arrived here at 6 p.m. this day, and shall leave
for Malta in the course of the night, from which place
you will doubtless hear of our further pr ogress. In one
respect, it may be considered unfortunate our having met
with such weather and stoppages as would prevent
any ship from making a rapid passage ; but in other
respects I think it may be considered fortunate that this
her first voyage should have afforded the opportunity of
testing and proving so satisfactorily her splendid quali-
ties as a sea-going ship, and the extraordinary speed
which she can attain under disadvantageous circum-
stances, as well as what she may be reasonably expected
to do under more auspicious ones. Whether very large
ships will be, commercially, profitable remains to be
proved; but all who have been in them must, I think,
agree that far speed and comfort, size and length are
indispensable."