The Sun.
London, England, 1866-10-17 00:00:00

THE PUBLIC HEALTH.

(From the Registrar-General's Return)
In the week ended on Saturday, Oct. 13, the
births registered in London and 12 otherlarge towns
of the United Kingdom were 4,216 ; the deaths re-
gistered 2,999. The annual rate of mortality Was
25 per 1,000 persons living.
In London the births of 1,052 boys and 1,021
girls, in all 2,073 children, were registered in the
week. In the corresponding weeks of ten years,
1856-65, the average number corrected for increase
of population was 1,955.
The deaths registered in Loudon during the week
were 1,353. It was the 41st week of the year; and
the average number of deaths for that week is, with a
correction for increase of population,l,222. The
actual number exceeds the estimated number by 131.
Zymotic diseases proved fatal to 459 persons, the
corrected average being 318. There were 24 deaths
from smallpox, 21 from measles, 36 from scarlatina,
5 from diphtheria, 27 from whooping-cough, and
47 from diarrhcea.
Two hundred and seven deaths from cholera, and
47 from diarrhcea, making 254 deaths from the two
forms, were registered during the week-38 in the
west districts, 41 in the north, 44 in the central, 82
in the east, and 49 in the south districts. The mor-
tality is lowest, taking population into account, in
the south and north, highest in the central and in
the east districts. Many of the deaths occur in the
various hospitals. The places in which the patients
were attacked are printed in the notes when regis-
tered, with the particulars of each death either by
cholera or by diarrhcea.
The mortality of epidemic cholera and diarrhoea
has.only yet attained high proportions in the East
London water field from known causes, and in the
last six weeks the deaths all over London have been
289, 292, 248, 244, 251, 254. In the epidemic in
the year 1854 the deaths by cholera and diarrhcea
in the corresponding weeks were 2,326, 1,781,
1,474, 919, 509, and 351. The deaths
since
the
first week in September, 1866, have been 1,578;
in the corresponding six weeks of 1854 the deaths
from cholera and diarrhcea were 7,360. At the
cholera rates of 1854 the deaths in the six weeks,
corrected for increase of population, would have
been 8,929 ; the deaths have been 1,578. Here are
7,351 lives saved.
This is encouraging. Incessant attention should
be given to the disinfection of the sewage of towns
on the Thames and the Lea above the intake of
the London water companies, and it would be
exceedingly satisfactory to learn that the engineers
see some way, such as Dr. Franklin suggested, to
the effectual filtration of the London waters.
To facilitate the extirpation of cholera the daily
return of deaths will be continued, and if the health
officers will report what proceedings are taken in
each case, the weekly summary will show the vigi-
lance of the local authorities, and the use they make
of the information placed at their disposal.
Experience proves that destruction of the cholera
poison is rarely ever effected in bad districts, unless
it is carried out under the eyes of medical visitors ;
and in the same way premonitory diarrhcea is
neglected.
The annual rate of mortality last week was 23 per
1,000 in London, 24 in Edinburgh, and 38 in Dub-
lin ; 14 in Bristol, 20 in Birmingham, 39 in Liver-
pool, 25 in Manchester, 28 in Salford, 19 in Shef-
field, 30 in Leeds, 25 in Hull, 35 in Newcastle-
upon-Tyne, and 27 in Glasgow. The rate in Vienna
was 94 per 1,000 during the week ending the 29th
ult. when the temperature was 8.5 deg. Fahrenheit
higher than in the same week in London, where the
rate was 23 per 1,000 ; the 1,007 deaths included
672 from cholera. No more recent official return
from this city has yet been received.
At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean
height of the barometer in the week was 29.998 in.
The reading decreased from 30.35 in. on Sunday to
29.76. in. on Saturday. The mean temperature of
the air in the week was 52.4 deg., which is 0.8 deg.
above the average of the same week in 50 years (as
determined by Mr. Glaisher.) The highest day tem-
perature was 66.0 deg. on Monday. The lowest night
temperature was 35.6 deg. on Saturday. The range
in the week was 30.4 deg. The difference between
the mean clew-point temperature and air tem-
perature was • 4.8 deg. The mean degree of
humidity of the air was 87, complete saturation
being represented by 100. On Saturday the humidity
was as much as 96. The wind, which until Friday
blew from the north-east and east-north-east, on
Saturday changed to south-west. No rain was
measured during the week.

A TINY STEAMER.—A little screw steamer, named
the Augusta, has just left Liverpool for Pernambuco. The
Augusta is only 41 tons burthen, and proceeds to Pernam-
buco under sail (fore and aft rig), the screw being stowed
away on deck. There aro only two men, a boy, and a clog
in charge of the vessel.