The Sun.
London, England, 1867-11-21 00:00:00

THE PLBLIC HEALTH.

The following is the weekly return of the Regis-
trar-General of births and deaths in London and in
12 other large towns of the United Kingdom :
General Register-office, Somerset-house, Nov. 18.
In the week that ended on Saturday, Nov. 16,
4,240 births and 3,039 deaths were registered in
London and in 12 other large towns of the United
Kingdom. The annual rate of mortality was 25
per 1,000 persons living.
The annual rate of mortality last week was 25
per 1,000 in London, 24 in Edinburgh, and 23 in
Dublin, 24 in Bristol, 21 in Birmingham, 32 in
Liverpool, 31 in Manchester, 27 in Salford, 28 in
Sheffield, 24 in Lee.ls, 28 in Hull, 28 in Newcastle-
upon-Tyne, and 21 in Glasgow. The rate in Vi-
enna was 22 per 1,000 during the week ending the
9th inst., when the mean temperature was 2.9
Fahrenheit lower than in the same weAt in London,
where the rate was 20.
The deaths registered last week showed an in-
creas,; in nearly all the English towns, due, as in
London, to the greater fatality of diseases of the re- -
spiratory organs. In Liv,rpool, however, the deaths
froth zymotic diseases had also considerably in-
creased; and scarlatina continues fatally prevalent
in Birmingham and in many parts of Manchester.
In London the births of 1,075 boys and 1,004
girls, in all 2,079 children, were registered in the
week. In the corresponding weeks of ten years
1857-66 the average numbers, corrected for increase
of population, is 2,073.

The deaths registered in London during the week
were 1,457. It was the 46th week of the year, and
the average number of deaths for that tveek is, with
a correction for increase of population, 1,555. The
deaths in the present return are less by 98 than the
estimated number.
The mortality in the metropolis exhibits an ia-
crease on the numbers recorded in 18 preceding
weeks. The increase is to a great eithnt attribut-
able to the prevalence of bronchial and other affec-
tions of the respiratory organs, caused by a low
temperature, and the contamination of the atmo-
sphere by smoke and other noxious matters.

Pbthisis proved fatal to 184 persons; 192 deaths
occurred from bronchitis, and 124 from pneumonia.
The deaths from zymotic diseases were 284, the
number in the preceding week being 254. Seventeen
deaths fiOm smallpox, 37 from scarlatina, 32 from
whooping-cough, 36 from typhus, 17 from diarrhoea,
and 57 from measles were, ,recorded last week.
Eleven fatal cases of measles occurred in the west,
16 in the north, 10 in the central, 9 in the east, and
11 in the south districts.

A youth, aged 17, who resided at 8, Broadway,
Ludgate-hill, died on November 14th in the London
Fever Hospital, Islington, of cholera (26 hours.)
A musician, aged 30 years, died on the 6th of No-
vember in Lambeth Workhouse of choleraic
diarrhoea.

'I he deaths of seven persons who were killed by
horses or carriages in the streets were registered last
week. One hundred and fifty-three deaths from
injuries caused by horses or vehicles in the streets
have been recorded during the present year.

The medical officer of health for the district of
Fulham states, in reference to the deaths (returned
in the preceding week) of two children from cholera
at 4, Bridge-street, Hammersmith, that " the house
in which the deaths took place is situate imme-
diately on the verge of the Creek,' a most offensive

inlet of the Thames. A young person living in
Bridge-street was simultaneously suffering from
cholera symptoms, but recovered ; she had drunk
of the water of the Creek. The metropolitan and
local boards are completing some extensive sewer-

age works for the diversion of the sewage from the
Creek and river at this point."
At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean
height of the barometer in the week was 29.835 in.

'rhe barometrical reading increased from the high
reading of 30.42 in. at the beginning of the week to

29-45 in. on Thursday, the 14th of Nov. The mean
temperature of the air in the week was 45 deg.,
which is 1.5 deg. aboVe the average of the same
week in 50 years (as determined by Mr. Glaisher).
The highest day temperature was 59.8 deg. on Fri-
day, the 15th of Nov. The lowest night temperature
was 33.3 deg. on Monday, the 11th of Nov. The en-
tire range of temperatur.! in the week was, there-
fore, 26.5 deg. The mean of the highest tempera-
tures of the water of the Thames was 45.5 deg. ;
that of the lowest was 43•.1 deg. The difference
between the mean dew-point temperature and air
temperature was 3 deg. The mean degree of
humidity of the air was •89, complete saturation
being represented by 100. Rain fell to the amount

of 0.10 inch. The general direction of the wind

was N.E. and S.E. During the night of Wednes-
day, the 13th of November, a few meteors were

seen ; at midnight it was very cold, and ice was
formed on shallow pools of water on an exposed roof
10ft. high. At the height of 4ft. from the ground the

minimum temperature was 36.2. Some meteors a

large size were observed during the night of Fri-
day, the 15th of November. Ozone was observed
on Saturday, the 16th of November. According to
a return furnished by the engineer of the Metropo-
litan Board of Works, the average daily quantity of
sewage pumped into the river Thames at the

Southern Outfall Works, Crossness,was 58,870,598
gallons, or 267,476 cubic metres, equivalent to
about as many tons by weight.

The present system of registration has been in
operation for 30 years ; and a legal certificate of a
birth, death, or marriage in England or Wales
during that period may be obtained at the General
Register-office, Somerset-house.