The Sun.
London, England, 1857-03-05 00:00:00

The deaths in London have exhibited a slow but con-
stant decrease during the four weeks of February. In the
week that ended last Saturday the total number regis-
tered was 1,216. In the ten years 1847-56 the average
number of deaths in the weeks corresponding with the
last week was 1,148. But the deaths now returned
occurred in an increased population, and for comparison
with the average, the latter should be raised proportion-
ally to the increase, in which case it will become 1,263.
The result of the comparison is a difference of 47, show-
ing that the rate of mortality last week was rather below
the average.
The zymotic class of diseases was fatal last week in
197 cases ; the corroborated average is 243. These
figures indicate a very favourable condition of health,
especialy amongst young persons, who are chiefly Hat le
to many of the diseases included under this head. Hoop-
ing-cough is still the most fatal of the zymotic complaints,
but it shows a decrease on previous returns, the weekly
deaths from it in February having been 61, 70, 74, and
53. Of 45 deaths from typhus and common fever only
6 occurred in the southern districts, although in the five
divisions of the ruetr op; liar the south contains the largest
popu'ation. The central districts also appear to have
been comparatively free from fever, one death in that
division having been from scarlatina, and 4 from typhus.
A woman died in Ling's-court, in the Charing-cross
aul-w-iistrict, from cholera, after 48 hours' illness. Mr.
Leonard who attended her during the latter stage of
the disease states that it bare a close resemblance to the
Asiatic type.

The deaths from pulmonary diseases were last week
304, whilst the correctedaverage of correspondirg weeks
is 276. The excess is not very con=iderable, and arises
from bronchitis, which was fatal in 166 cases (the average
being 131), a number greater by 75 than that referred to
pneumonia. Phthisis which stands in the tubercular
&ass carried af 142 persons. Two persons died of car-
buncle ; three of intemperance ; a boy, 9 years of age,
died under chlorof, rm administered with the view to an
operation. Only two nonagenarians, both widows, and
the oldest 91 years of age, are recorded in the returns.
Last week the births of 925 boys and 896 giil., in all
1821 chil Iren, were registered in London. In the ten
correspondinz weeks of the years 1847 56 the average
number was 1631.

At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean
height of the barometer in the week was 30 214 in. The
mean reading was above 30 in. on every day from Wed-
nesday the 18th ult. to the end of the month. The
barometer rose so brgh as 30.40 in. on S:tturday. The
mean temperature of the week was 41.2 degs., and Wit '4
1.9 degs. above the average of the same week in 43
years (as determined by Mr. Glaisher). The highest
temperature occurred c.O Saturday, •and was 56'9 degs. ;
the lowest occurred on Wednesday, and was 24 9 degs.
The range of the week was 32 degs. The mean dew-
point temperature was 36 9 degs , and the difference
between this and the mean temperature of the air was
4.3 degs. The air was frequently calm ; the wind was
very variable ; at the beginning and end of the week it
was in the south-west. There was no rain, except a
little not measurable by the gauge on Wednesday.