The Sun.
London, England, 1860-01-04 00:00:00

HEALTH OF LONDON DURING TILE

WEEK.

(From the Report of the Registrar-General.)

The effects of the recent severe cold, and probably
also of violent change, are still more prominently
developed in the return of deaths for last week than
they were in that which preceded it. In the week
that ended last Saturday the deaths of 1,677 persons
Were recorded in London ; in the two previous weeks
there were respectively 1,289 and 1,548. In the
second week of December the mean temperature of
the air was 28.6 deg. ; in the last it was 45.3 deg.
In the ten years 1849-58 the average number of
deaths in the ten weeks corresponding with last
week was 1,324 ; but as the deaths contained in the
present return occurred in a population which has
increased, they should be compared with the average
raised proportionally to the increase—namely, with
1,456. The 1,677 deaths of last week, therefore,
exhibit an excess amounting to 221 over the aver-
age mortality in London in the last week of the
year. The comparison would have shown the re-
sults of the late meteorological changes if the deaths
on which inquests are held had been registered in
previous years with a uniformity equal to that
which has now been obtained.

In the last three weeks the deaths from pulmonary
diseases, exclusive of phthisis, were successively 279,
430, and 470. The number last mentioned exceeds
the corrected average by 176. Bronchitis, which
carried off 260 persons in the previous week, was
fatal last week to 278; pneumonia rose from 135 to
151. The deaths from phthisis (or consumption) in
the two weeks were 186 and 154, showing a de-
crease. The mortality from small-pox increases
slowly but steadily ; the deaths under this head last
week were 46, of which 18 occurred to persons 15
years old and upwards; 9 occurred in the Small-
pox Hospital ; 3 in the sub-district of London-road;
4in that of Lambeth Church (2d part). On the
other hand, scarlatina was less fatal; the number
referred to it being 65, to diphtheria 12. The deaths
from whooping-cough rose from 35 to 50. Two in-
fants were murdered, and no less than 19 were suf-
focated, all or most of them in bed. The number of
such deaths is greater than usual; and the negli-
gence of parents, to which they are in some instances
to be attributed, may be supposed to be more com-
mon at seasons of festive indulgence. Last week 5
persons died from intemperance, 3 from delirium
tremens. Ten nonagenarians died in the week, 3
of whom were 97 years old, and one 99.
Of bricklayers 4 died in the week, of bricklayers'
children 8 ; of carpenters 8 died, of carpenters'
wives 3, of carpenters' children 14 ; of masons'
wives 1 died, of masons' children 2 ; of painters 9
died, of painters' wives 5, of painters' children 6 ;
of plasterers 3 died, of plasterers' wives 3, of plas-
terers' children 5.

Last week the births of 1,035 boys and 923 girls,
in all 1,958 children, were registered in London.
In the ten corresponding weeks of the years 1849-58
the average number was 1,595.
At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean
hoight of the barometer in the week was 29.132
inches. On Sunday and Monday the mean daily
barometrical reading was below 29 inches. The
barometer rose from 28.50 inches on Monday, the
lowest reading in the week, to 29.67 inches on Sa-
turday, the highest reading. The mean tempera-
ture of the air in the week was 45.3 deg., which is
8.4 deg. above the average of the same week in 43
years (as determined by Mr. Glaisher). The mean
daily temperature was above the average through.
out the week, and on the last three days this excess
was as much as 10 deg. and 15 deg. Ihe lowest
point attained by the thermometer in the week was
34 on Tuesday ; the highest 56.5 deg. on Saturday.
The range of temperature in the week was there-
fore 22.5 deg. The mean daily range was 8.8 deg.
The ranges of temperature on Christmas-day and
the next day were only 5 deg. and 6 deg. The
temperature of the water of the '1 Names was
38.7 deg. The difference between the mean
dew-point temperature and air temperature was
2.1 deg. The mean degree of humidity of the air
was 93; on Sunday and Monday the degrees were
99 and 97, closely approaching complete saturation,
which is represented by 100. The wind blew almost
constantly from the south-west. Almost an inch
of rain fell, about half of which fell on Christmas-
day and the day subsequent ; and of the remainder
there was more or less on each of the five other
days. Lightning, generally from the west, was
frequently seen on the evening of Wednesday.