The Sun. — 1861-02-07 (London, England)

HEALTH OF LONDON DURING THE WEEK.  (From the Registrar-General's Weekly Return.) The deaths in London were 1,544 in the week that ended last Saturday; they show, as from the favourable change of the weather might have been anticipated, a clear decrease on the heavy returns of the two previous weeks, when 1,926 and 1,783 deaths successively were registered. In the last fortnight the mean temperature of the air has been 13 deg. higher than that of the previous fortnight. The average number of deaths as obtained from the returns of corresponding weeks in ten previous years, and corrected for increase of population, is 1,358. The mortality of last week was still high, for the actual number of deaths exceeded the estimated number by 186. The deaths arising from pulmonary complaints, exclusive of phthisis, in the week were 447, whilst the average number of corresponding weeks, corrected for increase of population, is 308. Bronchitis has decreased from 354 in the previous week to 289 last week ; pneumonia from 117 to 110 ; asthma from 46 to 24; whooping-cough from 108 to 91. The deaths from phthisis last week were 142. Of 12 deaths from burns and scalds 8 occurred in consequence of the clothes taking fire. Five infants were suffocated in bed. Five infants died from  syphilitic disease. Three were murdered. On 10th January a cabinet-maker, aged 42 years, died at the workhouse, Bethnal-green, from " exposure and want of food and necessaries." (Inquest.) And on 25th January, at 9, Digby-walk, Bethnalgreen, a bricklayer, aged 78 years, died from " disease of the lungs accelerated by want of food and by exposure." (Inquest.) A girl, aged 17 years, died of idiopathic ptyalism ; and a harness-maker, aged 22 years, died of glanders. A police officer, aged 36 years, died in Threadneedle-street, of smallpox. A man, aged 49 years, died of " syncope, brought on by excitement from being attacked by several boys." (Post mortem inquest.) He died instantly. Last week the births of 1,049 boys and 1,001 girls—in all, 2,050 children—were registered in London. In the ten corresponding weeks of the years 1851.60 the average number was 1,739. At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean height of the barometer in the week was 30'126 in. The mean daily readings rose above 30 in. on Saturday, the 26th January, and continued above it during the whole of last week. The barometer fell to 29.96 in. on Tuesday, and rose to 30.54 in. on Saturday, which is higher than any point attained since 10th December, 1859, when the reading was 30.59 in. The mean temperature of the air in the week was 42.3 deg., which is higher by 4.6 deg. than the average of the same week in 43 years (as determined by Mr. Glaisher). The mean daily temperature was above the average throughout the week ; on Sunday and Friday it was about 9 deg. above the average. The highest point attained by a thermometer in the shade was 55 deg. on Sunday and Tuesday ; the lowest point in the week was 29.5 deg. on Tuesday. The range of temperature in the week was therefore 25.5 deg. The mean daily range was 14.7 deg. The difference between the mean dew-point temperature and air temperature was 2.7 deg. The mean degree of humidity of the air was 90, complete saturation being represented by 100. On Wednesday the humidity was 98. Till Friday evening the wind blew from the southwest—it then changed to north-west. There was no rain in the week. The mean temperature of the water of the Thames was 40.9 deg. The magnetic disturbance, which had been almost continuous since Tuesday, January 22, ceased at 10 p.m. on Sunday.