The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-27 00:00:00

II EA LT_H OF LONDON DURING THE
WEEK.

roin the Report of the Itvistrar-General.)

The mean temperature of the air during the last
fortnight has been 14 deg. higher than that of four
weeks preceding, and the salutary effect of the
change is distinctly seen in the present return.
The weekly deaths registered in London had been,
iu April and in two weeks of May generally above
1,050 ; in the week that ended on Saturday the
number was 948. In the ten years 1847-56 the
average number of des, he in the weeks correspond-
ing with last week was 1,007. But as the deaths
of last week occurred in an increased population,
it is necessary, with a view to comparison, to raise
the average in proportion to the increase, whereby
it will become 1,108. The deaths of last week
were less by 160 than the number which would
have occurred under the average rake of mortality
in the third week of May.
In some recent returns it was seen that the
deaths attributed to diseases of the organs of res-
piration were about 200 ; a warmer temperature
reduced them last week to 167. The average de-
rived from correspon.ling weeks in previous years
is when corrected near y the seine—namely, 165.
Fatal cases of bronchitis declined in the last two
weeks from 102 to 84 ; those of pneumonia from
75 to 66. The deaths caused by zymotic diseases
declined in the same period from 194 to 168, and
the mortality of this class is unusua4y low, for
the average is 253. A third part of the deaths
enumera'ed under this bead was caused by hoop-
ing-cough, which carried off 56 children. Typhus
(including common fever), which at this period in
former years usually carried off about 50 persons,
was fatal la-t week to 33. Scarlatina and smallpox
exhibit a marked decrease ; the former was fatal
in only 12 cases, the latter in only one, which oc-
curred in aftmily in Somer's-town, in which four
children were attacked, none of them having been vac-
cinatedbefore one child had discovered symptoms of
the disease. A girl of 16 monthsdiedof "varicella,
pneumonia," Princess-street, Marylebone. Noless
than eight persons died from syphilitic disease, at
ages from one month to 67 years. Two persons
died of intemperance. The oldest person recorded
in this week's returns is a centenarian, who is
stated to have lived to the age of 102 years.
She was a widow, and died on the 17th May, at 5,
Queen Elizabeth's College, Greenwich. A carpen-
ter died on the 16th at 6, Golden-place, Lambeth,
at the age of 79 years, who is reported to have been
a great-grandson of Defoe.
Last week the births of 885 boys and 748 girls,
in all 1,633 children, were registered in London.
In the ten corresponding weeks of the years 1847-
56 the average number was 1,489.
At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean
height of the barometer in the week was 29.706 in.
The barometer was at its highest point, 29.96 in ,
at. the beginning of the week, and fell to 29.36 in.
at the end of it. The mean temperature of the
week was 58.9 deg., which is 5.3 deg. above the
average of the same week in 43 years (as determined
by Mr. Glaisher). The mean temperature was
above the average on every day except Friday, and
on the first two days the excess was about 9 deg.
Tue highest temperature occurred on Monday, and
was 79 deg. ; the lowest also occurred on that day,
and was 45 deg., giving a range of 34 deg. The
mean due point temperature of the week was 50.5
deg., and the difference between this and the mean
teii,pertture of the air was B'4 deg. The wind
blew on every day from the south-west till Friday
afternoon, when it changed to nor!h-east. Rain
amounting to 0.35 ie. fell ou the last two days.
Note fell on any of the previous days, with the ex-
ception of some light showers on Thursday.