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 3 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 persons died last
week ; of both forms of disease, 1,0-15 ; which is less
than the numbers in the previous week by 362, thus
distributed in respect of ages :--Tinder 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 60-80 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 diarrhoea 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 west distkicts 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 poi .sons died of cholera and
diarrhea ; the estimate, I population being respec-
tively 511,258 and 607045.
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 days of the week were 223
on Sunday and Monday ; 1.14 on Tuesday ; 90, 98,
71, and 78 on the four follovving days ; in all Lon-
don on the same days 249, 13 0, 109, 1.14, 85, 94.
No greater mistake could Toe made than to relax