The Sun. — 1851-10-23 (London, England)

HEALTH OF LONDON DURING THE WEEK.  (From the Registrar-General's Report.)  The total number of deaths registered in the metropolitan districts in the week ending last Saturday was 981. They exhibit a small increase on those of the preceding week, when the amount was 953. Taking for comparison corresponding weeks of the ten years 1841-50, it appears that the average was 906 ; but if this average be raised in proportion to the increase of persons now living in London, it becomes 997, which differs not much from last week's mortality. Last week 425 children died under 15 years of age, 367 persons who had reached 15 years, but had not attained to 60, and 184 who were of 60 years and upwards. The table of fatal causes shows that 229 persons, 158 of whom were children, were carried off by one or other of the twenty-one diseases that are classed as " epidemic." These diseases in the aggregate do not at present produce a mortality equal to the average of corresponding weeks ; but under particular heads, namely typhus and diarrhoea, the numbers exceed the usual amount at this season. Typhus was fatal in 67 cases last week (the average being 53), and this disease appears to be on the increase. In the Church sub-district:of Bethnal-green three deaths from typhus occurred on the 11th, 12th, and 15th October, at the respective ages of 14, 16, and 23 years ; the first in Cumberland-place, the second in North-street, and the third in Trafalgar-place. Mr. .Briggs, the registrar, reports that the occupiers in these localities complain of the bad state of the drains. Scarlatina in this return numbers 43 cases, while the corrected average of corresponding weeks is 58. Though the mortality, as collected over the whole metropolis, is not remarkable, the complaint has fallen severely on particular families. At 3, Lower Chapman-street, in St. George in the East, the daughter of a shoemaker died at the age of eight months from " exhaustion consequent on scarlatina (12 days)." This (says Mr. Chatwood) is the second child that has died in one family within 9 days. The father attributes the illness of both to noxious effluvia arising from an uncovered cesspool in the yard of the house. In Walwof:th, at Laurel Cottage, Hillstreet, on the 9th and 13th Oct., two daughters of a musician, aged respectively 18 and 3 years, died of scarlatina, the former after 21 days' illness, the latter after 14 days. Mr. Turner, the registrar, mentions that " four members of this family have died of this disease since the end of September, the first two severally on the Ist and 3d of October. Four others have been suffering from it, but are now recovering. The family, which consisted of 12 persons, occupy a small house of four rooms." In the same sub-district, at 26, Portland-street, the son of a journeyman brass-finisher, aged 3 years, died of " scarlatina (7 days)." This is the second death in the family from the same complaint within 6 days, one having occurred on the 9th, and the second on the 15th October. Also in Walworth, at 7, Hen.and-ctiicken-lane, two sons of a warehouseman, aged respectively 3 and 9 years, died, the former of " scarlatina maligns (7 days), the latter of " scarlatina (1 month), dropsy (7 days)." Of five children in this family the two now mentioned died on the 12th and 15th October, two are convalescent, and one is in a doubtful condition. Besides the above, Mr. Turner in this weekly return reports three deaths from scarlatina in various streets, and odds that the disease is very prevalent throughout the whole of his district.  Fifteen duaths, only one of which was that of an adult, were registered last week as caused by smallpox. Two cases, in which it is stated that vaccination had been previously performed, occurred to a child of 7 months and a man aged 30 years. With reference to a case which proved fatal in Camdentown, and in which vaccination had been performed without effect, Mr. 101 l states that two other children in the family had been successfully vaccinated and escaped the contagion. An infant is also registered this week who died of chicken-pox.  Diarrhmi, which numbers 42 deaths, continues to decline, though it is still rather more fatal than usual for this late period of the year. The following case also occurred on the 12th October, at 3, Port-place, St. Peter, Walworth :—A journeyman baker, aged 43 years, " choleric disease of stomach and bowels (24 hours), death by asthenia." tol.hthisis or consumption has been rather fatal during the week, the deaths resulting from it amounting 138. This is a greater number than in any corresponding week of seven previous years Fifteen deaths aretasasescritbhed to disease of the liver, in four of ~,, whichei ne h cirrhosis. females. ck ue y The c fatal complaint is specified as agedtwfoourypaerrss,ons who died of cirrhosis on the 15the October, the daughter of a carpenter, died from " inflammation of the intestines, cherry stones." caused by swallowing plum and The following selections made of the o‘ffrOo me t obtehre registrars' reports : , isiiirdiHa,rs I or.lh..mceeas At 20, Gray's Inn-lane, onatrhee 9 worst months."a of Gwray the son of a tailor, aged 2 years, died and ulcera,,ttehdisbios wabeolsutfotrhe y., nn' lane : some of the houses are in a filthy state adds that Wyndham_ Camberwell, at 4, Elizabeth-place, road, on the 15th of October, the widow of a porter, aged 45 years, died of " disease of the heart and hypertrophy.i' Mr. Searle states that " this is the widow of Anthony Fawcett, who, on the 30th ult., murdered two of his children, and afterwards committed suicide, being at the time in a state of insanity."  with cloud —thTrohueghsokuyt the ---------