The Sun.
London, England, 1866-08-16 00:00:00

THE PUBLIC 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,
August 13.
In the week that ended on Saturday, August
11, the births registered in London and 12 other
large towns of the United Kingdom were 4,173 ;
the deaths registered 4,059. The annual rate of
mortality was 35 per 1,000 persons living.
In London the births of 1,021 boys and 950
girls, in all 1,971 children, were registered in the
week. In the corresponding weeks of ten years,
1856-65, the average number, corrected for increase
of population, was 1,915.
The deaths registered in London during the week
were 2,299. It was the 32d week of the year ; and
the average number of deaths for that week is, with
a correction for increase of population, 1,366. The
deaths in the present return exceed the estimated
number by 933.
The weekly deaths are declining ; 2,299 deaths
were registered last week; 2,661 in the week pre-
ceding. The deaths are less by 52 daily than they
were in the previous week ; and the whole of the
decrement is accounted for by the fall of the
deaths by cholera and diarrhoea from 1,407 to 1,045.
Of cholera 781, of diarrhoea 264 personsdied last
week ; of both forms of disease, 1,045 ; which is less
than the numbers in the previous week by 362, thus
distributed in respect of ages :—Under 20 the de-
crease of children's deaths is 228, at 20-40 the de-
crease is 80, at 40-60 it is 42, at GO-80 it is 16 ; of
old people of 80 and upwards the deaths have in-
creased by 4.
The decrease in the mortality of children is gra-
tifying evidence of the good effects of increased care
for their lives.

As the east districts were devastated to the greatest
extent, they last week experienced the greatest re-
lief ; the deaths in them from the epidemic, includ-
ing diarrhea and cholera, fell from 1,041 to 774,
and the decline is observable in each of the districts.

10,898 persons have died in London during the
last five weeks, a number exceeding the corrected
average by 4,213. Within the last five weeks 3,116
persons died of cholera ; 1,338 of diarrhoea. The
mortality in the westdistricts was at the annual rate
of 24 ; in the east districts at the rate of 82 per
1,000 inhabitants. In the west districts 225, in the
east districts 3,182 persons died of cholera and
diarrhoea ; the estimated population being respec-
tively 511,258 and 607,915;
To facilitate the inquiry into the causes, and to
supply information to those who are engaged in
combating the epidemic, the particulars of every
death in London are now published daily all the
deaths, for instance, registered on Monday in the
districts of London from Fulham to Woolwich can
be procured on Tuesday evening by scientific men
at the Queen's printers.
The deaths registered from cholera in the east
districts during the seven d the week were 223
on Sunday and Monday ; 114 on Tuesday 90, 98,
71, and 78 on the four following days ; in all Lon-
don on the same days. 249, 130, 109, 114,.85, 94.
N o greater mistake could be made than to relax

PRICK' 4d.
STAMPED sd.

the efforts for combating the disease, or for relieving
the distress which it has already wrought.
The water companies, Dr. Frantland has sug-
gested, should filter" their supplies through animal
charcoal ; and the suggestion is well worthy the
consideration of their engineers at this time, when
the waters of no shallow wells can be used without
risk. In epidemic districts the water-butts should
be emptied, disinfected, and refilled.
The annual rate of mortality last week was 39
per 1,000 in London, 19 in Edinburgh, and 21 in
Dublin; 20 in Bristol, 23 in Birmingham, 32 in
Manchester, 28 in Salford, 25 in Sheffield, 32 in
Leeds, 22 in Hull, 35 in Newcastle-on-Tyne, and
26 in Glasgow. The return from Liverpool has not
come to hand. The rate in Vienna was 35 per
.1,000 4 ring the week ending the 28th ult., when
the medti temperature was 2.6 deg. Fahrenheit
higher than in the same week in London, where the
rate was 44 per 1,000.

At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean
height of the barometer iu the week was 29.561 in.
increased from 29.29 in.
The barometrical reading
on Tuesday to 29.96 on Saturday. The mean tem-
perature of the air in the week was 57.7 deg., which
is 4.4 degrees below the average of the same week
in 50 years (as determined by Mr. Glaisher). The
highest day tempear ttuerme
pewrasatu7r7w as 48-2 deg. ondeg. on Tuesday.
The lowest night.
Friday and Saturday. The entire range of tem-
perature in the week was, therefore, 21.8 deg. The
mean of the highest temperatures of the water of
the Thames was 60.7 deg. ; that of the lowest was
59.6. The difference between the mean dew-point
temperature aid air temperature was 8.1 deg. The
mean degree of humidity of the air was 75, com-
plete saturation being represented by 100. Rain
fell to the amount of 0.59 in.