The Sun. — 1859-10-13 (London, England)

HEALTH OF LONDON DURING 2HE  MEEK.  (From the Registrar-General's Report.) October is a healthy month in London. In the week that ended last Saturday the deaths were 996, having been above 1,000 weekly, in some instances much above that point during the previous three months. After reducing the mortality in corresponding weeks of the last 10 year, 1849-58, to the extent of the deaths from epidemic cholera in two outbreaks, it will be found that the deaths returned for last week are less by nearly 100 than the number that would arise under the average rate of mortality. _ _  Tile deaths from diarrhoea continue to decline ; they were last week 34. But scarlatina is still fatal ; 95 cases being referred to this complaint, and 11 to diphtheria. Twenty-two children, and six persons beyond childhood died of small-pox. Five deaths from scarlatina cccurred in St. John, Westminster, six in Islington West, five in St. Mary, St. Georgein-the-East, and four in St. Paul, part of the same district. A boy, aged 14 months, died after a week's illness of inflammation of the lungs and bronchitis, from a piece of nut getting inside the windpipe ; a woman, aged 22 years, died at 5 St. Patrick's-terrace, Newington, of " English cholera (48 hours) ;" a girl, 12 years old, died from the " bite of a dog (six weeks), cerebellitis (three weeks) ;" and a plane maker is stated to have died on the Ist inst., in the workhouse, Whitechapel, at the great age of 103 years.  - Last week the births of 917 boys and 840 girls, in all 1,757 children, were registered in London. In the ten corresponding weeks of the years 1848-49 the average number was 1,407. At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean height of the barometer in the week was 29.836 in. The readings fell from 30.07 in. on Sunday, being the highest, to 2967 in. on Friday, the lowest in the week. The mean temperature of the air was 62.1 deg., which is as much as 9.4 deg. above the average. On Tuesday the thermometer in the shade rose to 81 deg., and the mean temperature of that day exceeded the average of the sane day by nearly 14 deg. The mean temperature was considerably above the average on every day. The humidity of the air was 95 on Saturday. which approximates to the point of saturation. The wind blew from the south-east chiefly. In the thirteen weeks that ended Oct. Ist the mortality in London was high ; it was at the annual rate of 23 out of 1,000 persons living. The total number of deaths was 16,010, of which so large a proportion as 9,056 occurred to persons in the first 20 years of life. In the corresponding quarters of four years, 1855-58—the deaths ranged from 13,042 to 14,345. The mean temperature of the quarter was high, 62 9 deg., though not so high as that of 1857 ; and in part of July the heat was excessive, on two days having reached 93 deg. in the shade (the mean more than 12 den% above the average), and 115 deg. in the sun. The consequence was an unusual amount of diarrhcea, which however gradually fell during the last two months, being checked by the fall of temperature, and also by the rain, seven inches of which, or about the average quantity, were measured during the quarter. The number of deaths from diarrhoea registered during the whole period was 2,743, whilst only about half that number occurred in the same season of last year ' • and in the warm season of 1857 the number was 2,343. The disease committed its ravages almost entirely amongst young children. It is important to observe that it was fatal in 768 eases in the east districts, considerably more than in those on the south side of the river, which contain a larger population. In Haggerstone West sub-district 48 cases were returned, in Bethnal Green Town 50, in Poplar 57. In Greenwich East there were 44. Scarlatina was also very fatal, though in a less degree than it was in the summer of last year ; and like diarrhcea it appears to have prevailed much in the eastern division. In all parts scarlatina carriedlof 778 persons, diphtheria 100, small-pox 287. The largest contribution of deaths from smallpox (91) is also made by the eastern portion of the metropolis, although the hospital appropriated to this disease is not situated within its bounds. Six persons died in the quarter from want of food, 172 infants from want of breast-milk and inanition, 18 persons from purpura and scurvy, 50 from intemperance and delirium tremens, 20 by murder or manslaughter, 54 by suicide.