The Sun.
London, England, 1861-06-20 00:00:00

HEALTH Ol' LONDON DURING THE WEEK.

(From the Registrar-General's Weekly Return.)

The deaths in London registered in the week that
ended last Saturday were 1,121 ; they exhibit an
increase of no great amount on the returns of the
two previous weeks. They are less than the number
of births registered in the same period by 822.

The average number of deaths, derived from the
returns of corresponding weeks in 10 years 1851-60,
and corrected for increase of population, is 1,099.
Hence it appears that the rate of mortality that
prevailed last week was slightly in excess of the
average.

Nine fatal cases of small-pox are recorded ;17
of:diarrhcea ; 22 of measles; 28 of scarlatina; 30 of
typhus; 88 of whooping-cough. The deaths that
are classed under the general head of " typhus" in
the tables aro returned as follows :-7 from typhus,
7 from gastric fever, 10 from " fever," 2 from low
fever, one from bilious fever, and one from brain
fever. Eight children died from whooping-cough
in Westminster. Six infants sank under syphilitic
disease. One death was referred to intemperance,
besides 5 caused by delirium tremens. Eleven
were caused by nephria (Bright's disease) ; 3 by
eczema. 23 infants died wno had been born
prematurely. Bronchitis was fatal in 85
cases, considerably exceeding the corrected
average, which is 59. Zymotic diseases in
the aggregate appear to be neither more nor less
prevalent than is usual at this season. The son of
a journeyman carpenter, aged four years, died on
the 7th inst. at 3, Wood-street, Lambeth of " cho-
lera" after 36 hours' illness. A man was poisoned
by an overdose of colchicum ; another by an over-
dose of laudanum.

Last week the births of 1,017 boys and 926 girls,
in all 1,943 children, were registered in London.
In the ten corresponding weeks of the years 1851-60
the average number was 1,544.

METROPOLITAN WATERS, MAY 1861.
The unusual dryness of May has exercised a
purifying action on the waters supplied to London
for domestic use, according to the analyses of
Dr. Robert Dundas Thomson, F.R.S. For
the sake of comparison the composition of the
water introduced into Glasgow from Loch Katrine
as analysed in March last, and that of Manchester,
examined at the same period, is appended together
with the constitution of a surface London well con
taminated by sewage :

Total impurity Organicim
per gallon. purity.
gro, ordeg. grs. or deg.
0.0

Distilled Water

Loch Katrine water, new supply
2'35 '605
to Glasgow
Manchester Water Supply (March) 3'33 •680
Well at Camberwell 62'67 10•6:1

THAMES COMPANIES.
West Middlesex

Grand Junction

17.32 •61
1744 •80
17'52 •92
17/0 1.38
16.60 1/6

Chelsea

Southwark
Lambeth

OTIIER COMPANIES. .
New River
East London
Kent
The table is read thus—Loch Katrine water contains in the
gallon 2 35 degrees or grains of foreign matter in solution, 01
which 1305 degrees or grains arc of vegetable or animal
origin.
- - -

At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean
height of the baromet2r in the week was 29 859 in.
The readings fell to 29.54 in. on Sunday, and rose
to 30 07 in. on Thursday. The mean temperature
of the air in the week was 60.5 deg., which is 2.2
deg. above the average of the same week in 43
years (as determined by Mr. Glaisher). The mean
daily temperature was considerably below the ave-
rage on Sunday ; and towards the end of the week
it was 8 deg. above it. The thermometer in the
shade fell to 42.9 deg. on Sunday, and rose to
80• S deg. on Saturday, being the lowest and highest
points respectively in the week. The entire
range in the week was therefore 37 9 deg. The
mean daily range was 21.4 deg. The difference
between the mean dew-point temperature and air
i by
temperature was 6.2 deg. The greatest dryness of
the air was 19.7 deg. on Thursday ; the mean dry-
ness on that day was 94 deg. The mean degree of
humidity was 81, complete saturation being repre-
sentedloo, which point was attained on Sunday.
the wind blew generally from the north-east and
south-west. On Friday and Saturday, the two
o fn
theSatuday.
Thames
w The
warmest days, the wind was in the north-east and
east. The thermometer in the sun rose to 132 deg.
60mean
4 deg
tem. p e
Aboutrature ofha the h
ane wiantcehr
p
of rain fell on Sunday and 4onday there was
none measured on the subsequent days.)