The Sun.
London, England, 1856-07-30 00:00:00

and to which the attention of the authorities was first
called in these reports.
10,689 deaths were registered in Yorkshire, and of that

number 1,358 occurred in Bradford, to a population of
181,961 in 1851; 1,217 were registered in Leeds and
Hunslet ; 695 were registered in Sheffield.
The 5,834 deaths in the northern counties slightly ex-
ceed in number the deaths 'in either of the two previous
spring quarters. Smallpox and scarlatina have prevailed.
Vaccination is evidently neglected among the colliers.
Tha mortality increased in Durham and in Northumber-
land, decreased in Cumberland and in Westmoreland.

In Wales and Monmouthshire 6,781 deaths were regis-
tered ; the deaths in the previous spring quarter were
7,392. Smallpox and scarlatina have prevailed epidemi-
cally in some districts.

At this season of the year, when many people are tra-
velling! on th• continent, as well as in England, it may be
useful to state tlsat it is nor well established by extensive
observation that England is the healthiest "country in
Europe. France stands next to England in salubrity. In
the continental cities the annual rate of mortality is sel-
dom less than 30 in 1,000 ; and the rate frequently rises
to 40 in 1,000. In London the rate of mortality is 23 in
"COO.

On an average of 10 years (1841-50) the mortality was at
the annual rate per 1,000 of 15 in three English 'districts,
16 in 14 districts, 17 ih 47 districts, 18 in 87 districts.
These facts prove that the climate of England is eminently
salubrious ; and it has not yet been shown that the climate

of any part of the continent is equally or more salubrious
than this island, crowned with hills of moderate elevation,
sloping towards the east and south ; bathed by the showers
of the Atlantic, drained naturally by rivers-running short
courses to the sea, cultivated more extensively than other
lands, and producing those unequalled breeds of sheep,
cattle, and horses, which flourish only in healthy places.
The healthiest parts of England are not yet places of
general resort, but the annual mortality in the various
districts comprising watering places seldom exceeds 21 in
LOCO of the population, and is probably lower in those
regions of the districts to which visitors resort. Hastings,
Brighton, the Isle of Wight, Worthing, Mutford. (includ-
ing Lowestoft), Newton Abbot, Barnstaple (including
Ilfracombe), Bath, and Cheltenham have experienced low
rates of mortality during the spring quarter ; and it should
be always borne in mind in selecting places of resort that
through the peculiar nature of zymotic diseases places
usually healthy are periodically visited by epidemics,
which can only be avoided by consulting recent returns,
or by actual inquiries on the spot. The cleansing and the
sewerage of all watering places require improvement, as
their arrangements were made when sanitary science was
at a low ebb.

HEALTH OF LONDON DURING THE

WEEK.

(From, the Report of the Registrar-General. )
The mortality in London is below the usual average
rate which prevails within its limits. In the week that
ended on Saturday, 995 persons—of whom 487 were
males, and 508 females—died. The total number diff4irs

little from that of the preceding week, which was 1,018.
The corrected average of the corresponding weeks of the
previous 10 years was 1,213. But this result represents
more than the nominal rate of mortality, in consequence
of cholera, which was epidemic in 1849 and 1854, having
carried off in the corresponding weeks of those years
about 916 persons.

Of the 995 persons who died, 522 were under 20 years
of age; 147 were 20 and under 40, 146 were 40 to 60, 146
were 60 to $O, and 34 were 80 years of age and upwards ;
278 perions died of zymotic diseases, including 11 by
cholera, 71 by diarrhoea, 20 by small.pos, 45 by measles,
19 by scarlatina, 43 by typhus, &c.
Ten of the deaths by cholera are returned as infantile
cholera, and occurred to children under two years of age. ,
The deaths from diarrhea have increased from 15 1
weekly in June, to 29, 48, 62 in July, and in the last week
to 71. Of 90 deaths assigned to diseases of the res-
piratory organs, 41 were caused by bronchitis, 42 by
pneumonia, 4 by asthma, 3 by pleurisy, laryngitis,
&c. Phthisis was fatal in 120 cases.

Half of the deaths that happen on an average in London
between the ages of 20 and 40, are from consumption and
diseases of the respiratory organs. The deaths from these
diseases in the last week were 65 ' • the deaths from all
°tbs./. digaases at the same period of life were 82. The
deaths from consumption and from other dieeases of the
respiratory organs, at all ages, were 220.
The majority of these diseases arise from constitutional
conditions, and from the ordinary elements of insalubrity
—but there can be no doubt that the dirty dust suspend-
ed in the air, that the people of London breathe, often
excites diseases of the respiratory organs. The dirt of
the streets is produced and ground now by innumerable
horses, omnibuses, and carriages ; and then beat up in
fine dust, which fills the mouth and inevitably enters
the air passages in large quantities. The dust is not
removed every day, but, saturated with water in the
great thoroughfares, sometimes ferments in damp wea-
ther, and at other times ascends again under the heat of
the summer sun as atmospheric dust.
The natural remedies would apparently be to transfer
from the principal thoroughfares ROlllO of the immense
traffic by horse-carriages to railways, and to keep the
streets, by daily cleansing, as clean as the streets are
kept in some of the continental towns. The inhabitants
of London would then net have to dread diseases as fatal
as the " grinders' rot," or the "miners' asthma," from
mechanical impurities of the air they breathe.
Last week the births of 844 boys and 764 girls, in all
1,608 children, were registered in London. In the ten
corresponding weeks of the years 1846 55 the average
number was 1,394.
At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean
reading of the barometer was 29.733 in. for the week
ending the 26th July ; the sky for the most part was
overcast with occasional showers. L'ghtning was fre-
quent at night on Wednesday, with thunder, which was
also heard on Saturday. Electricity was positive through.
out the week except Sunday. The atmosphere was warm,
and the average temperature was 2.3 deg. in excess on
the average derived from the same week for the last
38 years. The mean daily temperature was 64.2 deg.,
or about 4 deg. above the temperature of the week pre.i
ceding. The thermometer rose to 83.0 deg. on Wednes-
day ; from this point it fluctuated, and descended to
49.8 deg. on Saturday. The average dew-point was 6.0
deg. below the air temperature, and showed a difference
of between 8 and 9 deg. on Friday and Saturday, con-
sequently the air was drier on those days than during
the preceding part of the week. The direction of the
wind was chiefly from the south-west, and passed over
Greenwich at rates averaging 86 miles daily.

MORTALITY IN THE METROPOLIS
NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES REGISTERED
IN THE WEEK NDING SATURDAY, JULY 20
Zymotic Diseases
Diseases of Uncertain Seat
Tubercular Diseases
Diseases of the Brain, Nerves and Senses
Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels
Diseases of the Lungs and other Organs of
Respiration
Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs

83
18

of Digestion
Diseases of the Kidneys, &c.
Childbirth, Diseases of the Uterus, &c.
Diseases of the Joints, Bones, and Muscles
Diseases of the Skin, &c.
Malformations ..
Premature Birth and Debility 23
_ _

Atrophy
Old. Age . .. 37
Sudden •• 6
Violence, Privation, Cold, and Intemperance 42
Causes not specified

DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES 995

Population Deaths in corre- Death
Enumerated. eponding week in th
1851. of 1855. Week
West Districts
North Districts 490,396
Central Districts 393,256
East Districts 485,522
South Districts