The Sun. — 1859-02-09 (London, England)

HEALTH OF LONDON DURING THE WEEK.  (From the Registrar-General's Report.)  The weekly return of births and deaths in London issued by authority of the Registrar-General for the week ending Saturday, February 5, states that the London returns furnish satisfactory indications of improvement of the public health. The deaths in the metropolitan district, which were 1,329 in the second Week of Jan., have shown a constant decrease during the three subsequent weeks. In the week that ended last Saturday they were 1,243. In the ten years 1849-1858 the average number of deaths in the weeks corresponding with last week was 1,195; but as those in the present return occurred in a population which has increased, they can only be compared with the average raised in proportion to that increase, viz., 1,314. The comparison shows that the deaths of last week were less by 71 than the number which would have been returned under the average of mortality. The deaths from scarlatina fell last week below 100, after having ranged above that point, and for the most part to a considerable extent above it, since the end of August. The number referred to this head in the table for last week is 92,which includes 16 from diphtheria. The deaths from diphtheria occurred in the following sub-districts ; 1 in Belgrave, 3 ill Gray's-inn-lane, 1 in Somers-town, 3 in Islington West, 1 in St. George, Bloomsbury, 1 in St. James, Clerkenwell, 1 in Kent-road, 1 in St. Peter, Walworth, 1 in Battersea, 1 in Streatham, 1 in Peckham, and 1 in Woolwich dockyard. Boobies these, a death occurred from " measles and diph. theria" in Kentish-town. Six deaths occurred from scarlatina in the district of Poplar, and 5 from the same disease in the sub-district of St. Paul, Deptford. Smallpox was fatal in 11 cases. Seven infants and an adult died from syphilis ; one person from intemperance, besides 3 from delirium tremens. Eleven women died from diseases incidental to childbearing. Two persons died from carbuncle. 34 persons died from injuries accidental or otherwise, and amongst these are 3 infants who had been murdered, and two persons who had committed suicide. The deaths of 2 persons resulted from want. A man and a woman died at the advanced age of 90 years, and a widow at 96 years. Last week the births of 939 boys and 983 girls, in all 1,922 children, were registered in London. In the ten corresponding weeks of the years 1849-58 the average number was 1,646. At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean height of the barometer in the week was 29.585 in. The readings of the instrument varied from 29.25 in. on Wednesday to 30.08 in. on the next day. The mean temperature of the week was 39.6 deg., which is 2.1 deg. above the average of the same week in 43 years (as determined by Mr. Glaisher). Both the highest and lowest temperatures in the week occurred on Saturday, the former having been 52.2 deg., and the latter 30.5 deg. The extreme range of temperature both in the day and the week was therefore 21.7 deg. The mean daily range was 12.3 deg. The difference between the mean dew-point temperature and air temperature was 5.8 deg. The mean degree of humidity of the air was 80. The mean temperature of the water of the Thames was 42 deg. The wind blew generally from the south-west. On Thursday it blew from the north. Rain fell to the amount of 0.40 in.  AN