The Sun. — 1868-01-10 (London, England)

LOSS OF LIFE BY FIRE AND BY IVA7ER.  It is gratifying to observe some diminution in the number of persons burnt in London in the year 186 f. In 1858 the deaths registered in the metropolis from burns and scalds amounted to 309, being in the proportion of 11.6 to 100,000 of population ; in 1867 the number of deaths was 302, or in the ratio of 9.7 per 100,000 of population. In the ten years, 1858-67, 3,258 lives were destroyed by burns and scalds. In England and Wales no less than 51,160 persons-25,315 males and 25,815 females —were burnt or scalded to dsath in the 18 years 1818-65. The annual sacrifice was 2,842. It is worthy of remark that 'the nualber of girls and women burnt in 1865 was less than the average. Thus, the average annual number in previous years was 1,434 ; in the ye it 1865 the number fell to 1,369 ; 65 lives were saved. The proportion to 100,000 of population in each of the two periods was 14.7 and 12.7. Among children the rate of mortality in 1865 to 100,000 living was as follows :—Males under 5 years, 57.0 ; females under 5 years, 45.1 A certain proportion of the 1,473 children whose deaths were referred to burns and scalds were suffocated through drinking scalding water, the larynx in such cases being closed. At the age of 5 and under 10 years the proportional numbers were—males; 12 ; females, 21 ; at age 10 and under 15 they were—males, 4 ; females, 6 ; the difference in the mortality of the two sexes at these ages was due to the great inflammability of cotton dresses. Of the 14,193 males dying of burns and scalds under 5 years of age in the 18 years 1848-65, 910 were under 1 year of age, 3,482 were 1 year and under 2, 3,649 were 2 years and under 3, 3,382 were 3 years and under 4, 2,725 were 4 years and under 5. Of the 11,676 females dying under 5 years of age, 919 were less than 1 year of age, 2,743 were 1 year and under 2, 2,762 were 2 years and under 3, 2,834 were 3 years and under 4, and 2,418 were 4 years and under 5. Young children drank scalding water out of the spout of the tea-kettle, or fell into scalding water. This happened often among the lower classes, when the mother was out at work and the children were left at home alone. It may be stated that in the year 1855 the deaths by burns and scalds (3,177) were more fatal than in any other year. The cold led to an increase in the consumption of coal ; people approached nearer the fire than in ordinary years, and the cold was thus the indirect cause of raising the mortality by burns. In 1858 271 deaths in London were ascribed to drowning, being in the proportion of 10.1 per 100,000 of population ; in 1867 the deaths were 379, or 12.1 per 100,000 of population. In the ten years 1858-67, 3,367 deaths were registered from this cause—viz., 2,965 by accident, and 402 by suicide. In England and Wales the average annual number of deaths by drowning in the years 1858-64 was 2,629-2,414 by accident, and 215 by suicide, the deaths in 1865 from this cause were 3,053-2,823 by accident, and 230 by suicide. The annual rate of mortality from drowning by accident ,0 100,000 of population was 14.0 in the five years [B5O-54 ; 13.2 in the five years 1855-59, and 12.2  n the five years 1860-64. In 1865 it was 13.6  Thus the deaths in England and Wales in the eight years 1858-65 by the two elements of fire and water were 45,009—viz., 21,454 by drowning, including suicide, and 23,555 by burns and scalds.