The Sun. — 1860-02-08 (London, England)

HEALTH OF LONDON DURING WEEK.  (From the Report of the Registrar-General.) The deaths registered in London in the week that ended last Saturday were 1,389, being nearly the same as the number returned in the previous week. In the 10 years 1850-59 the average number of deaths in the weeks corresponding with last week was 1,205 ; but, as the deaths returned for last week occurred in a population that has increased, they should be compared with the average raised in proportion to ttte increase—namely, with 1,326. This comparison shows that the number of persons who died last week was greater by 63 than the number that would have died if the average rate of mortality for the beginning of February had prevailed. The deaths from smallpox again rose last week ; the number was 44, of which 15 occurred to persons who were 13 years old and upwards. Four were reported in the sub-district of the Boroughroad ; 3 in that of Lambeth Church, first part. There were 39 deaths from scarlatina, and 4 from diphtheria. Pulmonary diseases, exclusive of phthisis and whooping-cough, were fatal in 389 cases, the corrected average forcorresponding weeks being 293. The 389 deaths were chiefly the result in various proportions of bronchitis, pneumonia, and asthma, which were fatal respectively in 217, 136, and 23 cases, the corrected averages of each being 159, 91, and 23. From these figures it appears that this class of diseases is at present considerably more fatal than usual. Nine children died from syphilitic disease, 11 from want of breast-milk and inanition, 16 having been born prematurely, 7 from suffocation, apparently accidental, and 6 from murder, manslaughter, or criminal neglect. The deaths of eight nonagenarians are recorded, the two oldest of whom died at the ages of 97 and 99 years. Last week the births of 1,003 boys and 940 girls, in all 1,943 children, were registered in London. In the ten corresponding weeks of the years 1850-9 the average number was 1,693. At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean height of the barometer in the week was 29.65 in. The mean daily reading was below 29 in. on Monday and above 30 in. on Friday and Saturday. The barometer rose from 28.78 in. on Monday, the lowest reading in the week, to 30.21 in. on Friday, the highest reading. The mean temperature of the air in the week was 36.3 deg., which is 1.1 deg. below the average of the same week in 43 years (as determined by Mr. Glaisher). The mean daily temperature was below the average on the last five days. The thermometer in the shade attained its highest point, 451 deg., on Monday, and reached its lowest, 25.5 deg., on Wednesday. Its range in the week was therefore 20.2 deg. The man daily range was 10.7 deg. The difference between the mean dew-point temperature and air temperature was 4.0 deg., representing the dryness of the air. The mean degree of humidity of the air was 85, complete saturation being represented by 100. The man tempel ature of the water of the Thames in the last four days was 37 deg. On the first two days of the week the wind was in the south-west; it then blew from the north on Saturday, when it again turned to the south-west. The rain-fall in the week was 0.31 inch, the greater part of which was measured on Monday. Snow fell on Thursday.