The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-27 00:00:00

HEALTH- OF LONDON DURING THE

WEEK.

( From the Report of the Registrar-General.)
CESSATION OF THE CHOLERA.
The number of deaths in London in the week that
ended last Saturday was 1,122, which is less by more
than 100 than it was in either of the two prec:ding
weeks. As the temperature is now lower, there is
ground to hope that the mortality reached its maximum
for this season in the week that ended August 16th
when the deaths rose to 1,259. Whilst the mortality
was rising the mean weekly temperature was about
67 deg. ; .t decreased last week to 57.8 deg.
In the corresponding week of ten years, 1846 55, the
number of deaths was 1,241, which, if corrected for in-
crease of population, becomes 1,365. But two of the
weeks embraced in the series from which the average is
derived were periods in which cholera had become ex-
tensively fatal. Excluding epidemic seasons, the cor-
rected average for the week is nearly 1,100.
The deaths from diarrhoea, which in the two previous
weeks were 211, and 252, were last week 214; and those
from cholera, which in the former weeks were 28 and 22,
were last week again 22. All these 22 cases, with the
exception of 6, occurred to infants, and are referred to
that description of cholera which is common in the sum-
mer months. But it will be noticed on comparing the
returns of corresponding weeks that diarrhoea has been
more prevalent than usual this season. Of the 214
cases in which it was fatal, 190 occurred to children
who had not entered their third year. Twenty-eight
persons who died in the week were 80 years old and up-
wards ; and of these 3 were nonagenarians, whose re-
spective ages were 92, 94, and 96 years ; the youngest a
widow, th next a tailor, the oldest a coachman. A
woman, aged 24, died from accidentally drinking sul-
phuric acid.
Last week the births of 773 boys and 751 girls, in all
1,529 children, were registered in London. In the ten
corresponding weeks of the years 1846 55 the average
number was 1,435.

At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean
height of the barometer in the week -was 29'472 in. The
lowest reading was 29 17 in. on Thursday ; the highest
was 30.03 on Saturday. The air was cold, and the
mean temperature on every day below the average. The
wind blew generally from the north-east. Rain fell on
four days to the amount of 1°54 io. The highest tem-
perature in the week was 71.8 on Sunday; and the
lowest occurred on Saturday, and was 45 deg. On the
last day the mean temperature was 7.2 deg. below the
average. The mean temperature of the week was 57'8
deg., which is 2.7 deg. below the average of the same
week (as determined by Mr. Glaisher).. The mean dew-
point temperature was 53'5 deg., and the difference be-
tween that and the mean temperature of the air was 4'3
deg. The mean temperature of the water of the Thames
was 65.6 deg. The temperature of the river fell from
69'4 deg., the highest on Sunday, to 61.9 deg., the
lowest on Saturday.
The following are six cases of cholera, registered last
week, which occurred amongst adults :
WESTMINSTER ; St. Margaret—At 10, St. Margaret's-
place, on 19th August, a labourer, working at "Trinity"
gravel engine, aged 60 years, "spasmodic cholera."
Deceased was staying in London Docks. On Tuesday
he bad diarrhasa, but did not have advice until he came
home on Friday.

MARYLEzosi ; The Rectory—At 20, Gorge-street,
on 15th August, the wife of a cabinet-maker, aged 40
years, "cholera (12 hours)."

MARYLEBONE; Christchurch—At 12, Sherborne-place,
on 16th August, a coach•tirnber•bender, aged 60 years,
"cholera."

ISLINGTON; West—At 5, Heyman's-row, on 17th
August, the wife of a marine store dealer, aged 54 years,
"cholera (32 hours)."
In the same sub-district, at the Mews, Tuffnell-park
East, on 19th August, a linen weaver, aged 66 years,
" cholera (3 days)."
L AMBETH ; Kennington 2d—At 5, Lansdowne-cot-
tages, Denmark-road, on 16th August, the wife of a
warehouseman, aged 38 years, "choleraic diarrhoea,
with severe cramp (30 hours)."
ST. LEONARD'S; Holy well.—At 4, Bowl-court, Shore-
ditch, on 21st August, the widow of a carman, aged 80
years, " typhoid fever (about 6 days)." The medical at
tendant in this case states that " privy (common to 6
houses) is close to the house in which the woman died,
and most offensive in odour, as is also the dust bin ad-
joining; the latter quite full, not having been emptied
for upwards of three weeks."

MORTALITY IN THE METROPOLIS
NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES REGISTERED

IN THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, AUG. 23
Zymotic Diseases
Diseases of Uncertain Seat
Tubercular Diseases
Diseases of the Brain, Nerves and Senses
Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels 22
Diseases of the Lungs and other Organs of
Respiration
Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs
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
Atrophy
Old Age
:udder. ..
Violence, Privation, Cold, and Intemperance 3O
Causes not specified

38
57

DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES 1,122
Population Deaths in corre- Deatl s
Enumerated. sponding week in the

1851. of 1855. Week.
West Districts
North Districts 490,396
Central Districts 393,256
East Districts 485,522
South Districts

Totals
Males 584
Fomales 533
_ BIRTHS IN THE WEEK.

Males
Females..

778
751

Total ..

1,529

CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATIONS.

The following are a few of the questions given at the
last examination for the East India Company's Civil
Service :

ENOLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE. -
Sir Philip Sydney says, "I never heard the old song
of Percy and Douglas, that I found not my heart moved
more than with a trumpet ; and yet it is sung by some
old crowder, with no rougher voice than rude style ;
which being so evil apparelled in the dust and cobweb
of that uncivil age, what would it work trimmed in the
gorgeous eloquence of Pindar I"

What are the characteristics of popular, as distin-
guished from more refined and artificial, poetry ? Is the
conclusion of Sir Philip Sydney just? Why do the
rugged verses of " Chevy Chase" still " move our
hearts," while Cowley's "Pindarics" are forgott n ?
Take any poem of Milton's, Pope's, Gray's, Cow-
per's, Wordsworth's, Campbell's, or TennysGn'a ; give
an outline of the argument, and note any lines or
phrases which have passed into the current literature of
the language.

Enumerate in order the principal English authors,
poets, historians, theologians, philosophers, and writers
of wit and humour. Mark those who have exercised
great iniluenco on our language, and indicate by a single
term thu qualities for which each is in other respects re-
markable.