The Sun.
London, England, 1860-05-09 00:00:00

HEALTH OF LONDON DURING TILE

WEEK.

(From the Registrar-General's Weekly Return.)

In the last five weeks the deaths in London have
constantly declined; in the last two the decrease
has not been very considerable. In the week
that ended last Saturday the number registered
was 1,205. In the ten years 1850-9 the average
number of deaths in the weeks corresponding with
last week was 1,072; but, as the deaths of last week
occurred in an increased population, they should be
compared with the average raised in proportion to
the increase, namely, with 1,179. The comparison
shows that the actual rate of mortality was slightly
higher than that obtained by calculation for the
first week of May.
The deaths from bronchitis were last week 139 ;
the corrected average for corresponding weeks is
96. Those from pneumonia were 59, the corrected
average being 80. It is remarkable that while the
former disease was still much in excess, the latter
was decidedly less fatal than usual. Phthisis
_ _

vied off 167 persons ; the corrected average is 158.
There were 18 deaths from smallpox, 38 from
measles, 35 from scarlatina, 7 from diphtheria, 53
from whoop:ng-cough, 7 from syphilis, 19 from
cancer. Five children died of measles in Rother-
hithe, 3 in Greenwich West, and 3 in Mile-end Old
Town West. A labourer died in the Greenwich
workhouse whose age was stated to be 100 years.
Two women died at the respective sof 97 and
98 years. A widow died at 14, Goillston-street,
Whitechapel, from disease of the lungs, "accele-
rated by want of nourishment."
Of 5 persons who died by suffocation 2 were
children in bed; a boy aged 1 year was suffocated
by the furniture of the room taking fire; and a
washerwoman, aged 48 years, was choked by food.
Four persons died by scalds ; among these the wife
of a labourer, who fell in a fit and upset a saucepan,
and a child who was scalded by a kettle of water
falling on him. Five persons were burnt by their
clothes taking fire—viz., the daughter of a horse-
keeper, aged nine years • the daughter of a labourer,
aged 11 years; a female servant, aged 18 years; a
milliner, aged 25 years; and the wife of a brick-
layer, aged 49 years. Two infants were murdered.
METROPOLITAN WATERS IN APRIL, 1860.
With the drier weather the impurity contained
in the Thames water has decreased, according to
the subjoined analyses of Dr. Robert Dundas
Thomson, F.R.S. It is at such intervals that the
purer water should be stored, and the best water
supplied to the inhabitants of London. Even with
such a proper precaution the water of the metro-
polis would be six times less pure than that sup-
plied to Glasgow from Loch Katrine. The sample
of the latter water was taken from the main pipe
in Glasgow. The composition of a well water
containing sewage is appended for the sake of com-
parison.

Total impurity Organic im-
per gallon. purity.
gre. ordeg. grs. or deg.
o'o 0.0

Distilled Water
Loch Katrine water, new supply
to Glasgow
Well at Sandgate

TIIAMES COMPANIES
Chelsea
Southwark
Lambeth

3.32
40.96

19.84
1916
19.20
201)0
19.04

Grand Junction
West Middlesex
°TITER COMPANIEs.
New River
East London
Kent

20.92
2256
22' 0

1.94
1 '32
1.68
1.60
1.36

The table is read thus—Loch liatrine water contains in the
gallon 3 32 degrees or grains of foreign matter in solution. of
which 96 degrees or grains are of vegetable or animal origin.

Last week the births of 903 boys and 900 girls,
in all 1,803 children, were registered in London.
In the 10 corresponding weeks of the years 1850-
59 the average number was 1,683.
At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean
height of the barometer in the week was 30.090 in.
On all days, except Wednesday, the mean daily
barometrical reading was above 30 in. The read-
ings of the barometer fell from 3029 in. on Mon-
day, the highest in the week, to 29.93 in., the
lowest, on Wednesday. The mean temperature of
the air in the week was 50.7 deg., which is 0.3 deg.
above the average of the same week in 43 years (as
determined by Mr. Glaisher). The highest read-
ing of the thermometer in the shade was obtained
on Friday, and was 68.5 deg. ; the lowest was on
Sunday (the 29th ult.), and was 31 deg. The range
of temperature in the week was therefore 37.5 deg.
The mean daily range was 26.1 deg. On the first
two days the wind blew from the south east, after-
wards from the north-east and east. The difference
between the mean dew-point temperature and air
temperature was 9 8 deg., showing great dryness of
the air. The mean degree of humidity of the air
was 67, complete saturation being represented by
100. The humidity on Wednesday was only 53 ;
the dryness 15.7 deg. That day was therefore un-
usually dry. The mean temperature of the water of
the Thames was 49.3 deg. The rays of the sun were
powerful, and till Saturday the highest readings of
a thermometer in the sun were from 100 to 117.
There was no rain in the week.

A FEW WORDS ABOUT " TAMING" BIRDS.—AII
the books hitherto written upon this subject, advocate
cruelty as the only means whereby birds )inay be " starved"
into tameness. Their authors, too, tell us minutely
how to snare, trap, and inveigle these poor little innocents
from their happy state of freedom—thenceforward to be
confined and broken-hearted for life. These men are not
likely to find favour with the tende-hearted, and those who
tame their little friends by the " strange music of affec-
tion." In this matter, we are an eccentric. Indeed, the
contents of cur little volume will prove it. We fight the
battle of the birds ahne. Well, bo it so. We are proud of
the cause we advocate, and imagine that we can hear our
little clients' voices raised, loud and sweet, wherever we
wander at this season of love (spring), in honour of their
special pleader. We delight in this sport of our egotistical
fancy, and love to hear our name everywhere so familiarly
associated with the happiness of the feathered tribes.—
EiCkr AM ?Wing rrea Use on the Canary,