The Sun.
London, England, 1868-08-05 00:00:00

THE PUBLIC HEALTH.

The Registrar-General's weekly return of births and
deaths in London and in thirteen other large towns of the
United Kingdom states that in the week that ended on
Saturday, August 1, 4,416 births and 3,770 deaths were
registered in London and in thirteen other large towns of

the United Kingdom. The annual rate of mortality was
31 per 1,000 persons living. The annual rate of mortality
last week was 28 per 1,000 in London, 25 in Edinburgh, and
23 in Dublin ; 25 in Bristol, 39 in Birmingham, 36
in Liverpool, 36 in Manchester, 39 in Salford, 38
in Sheffield, 39 in Bradford, 39 in Leeds, 36 in Hull,
26 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and 30 in Glasgow.
The rate in Vienna was 35 per 1,000 during the
week ending the 25th ult., when the mean tem-
perature was s'l deg. Fahrenheit higher than in the same
week in London, where the rate was 31. The'mortality
from diarrlicea sheaved a decline last week in London,
but had further increased in several of the other large
towns, especially in Birmingham and Liverpool. The
annual death-rate from this disease during last week was
4 per 1,000 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 5 in Bristol, 6 in
London, 9 in Bradford, 10 in Manchester and Hull, 11 in
Liverpool, 12 in Salford, 13 in Sheffield, 14 in Leeds, and so
high as 20 per 1,000 in Birmingham. There is little doubt
that under a well-organised system for treating the disease in
its earlier stages, this mortality would rapidly decrease, and
the risk of the more dangerous choleraic forms would be
reduced to a minimum. In London the births of 1,078
boys and 1,028 girls, in all 2,106 children, were registered
in the week. In the corresponding weeks of ten years,
1858-67, the average number, corrected for increase of
population, is 2,026. The deaths of 859 males and 806
females, in all 1,665 persons, were registered in London
during the week. It was the thirty-first week of the
year, and the average number of deaths for that week is,
with a correction for increase of population, 1,583, The
deaths in the present return exceed by 82 the estimated
amount, but are less by 220 than the number recorded in
the preceding week. The deaths from zymotic diseases
were 691, the corrected average number being 638. Five
deaths from smallpox, 46 from measles, 47 from scarla-
tina, 9 from diphtheria, 32 from whooping-cough, and 52
from fever were registered. Thirty-eight deaths from cho-
leraic diarrhoea or cholera were recorded ; 27 fatal cases
were those of children under 3 years of age ; 5 children who
died were aged from 2 to 10 years, and 6 fatal cases occurred
in adults. The deaths of G persons from sunstroke were
recorded ; and in many cases the fatal termination ol
diseases was stated to have been accelerated by the great
heat. The deaths of 10 infants from syphilis, of 4 persons
from burns or scalds, of 13 persons from drowning, of
8 infants from suffocation, of 6 persons who committee
suicide, and of 4 persons who were killed by horses os
carriages in the streets, were registered. At the Royal
Observatory, Greenwich, the mean height of the
barometer in the week was 29.801 in. The barometrical
reading increased from 29'51 in. on Tuesday, 28th July, to
30'16 in. on Saturday, Ist August. The mean tempo
rature of the air in the week was 67'6 deg., Which is s';
deg. above the average of the same week in 50 year,
(as determined by Mr. Glaisher). The highest day tempe
rature was 90'1 deg. on Tuesday, 28th July. The lowest
night temperature was 49'4 deg., on Saturday, Ist August
The entire range of temperature in the week was, there
fore, 407 deg. The highest reading of the thermomete-
in the sun was 167'0 deg. on the 28th July.

Brighton intends to invite the British Associa
tion to hold their next annual congress there.

It is claimed as a fact worthy of note that then(
have been fewer persons apprehended during the Good
wood Races this year than for several years past, as th
following statistics will shew :—ln 1805, 12; in 1866, 10
in 1867, 21: in 1863, 8.

The announcement in a contemporary that se Vera
gentlemen who have distinguished themselves as supporter
of the Government would be advanced to the dignity o
the peerage after the prorogation, is very premature
Nothing of the kind will be done at present, and autum
will be far advanced before any such question is taken int
consideration by the Prime Minister and the Crown.-
Post.

THE AMERTCAN MINISTER.—The Hon. Reverd'
Johnson, the new United States Minister at the Court c
St. James's, is expected to arrive at Southampton wiN
his suite, from Baltimore, on the 15th inst., in the Nort
German Lloyd steamship Baltimore. Mrs. Lincoln, th
widow of the into President of the United States, and he
, are also expected
_tho san4o gteamer.