The Sun. — 1853-07-21 (London, England)

THE WEEK.  (From the Registrar-General's Report.)  It is satisfactory to notice a further decrease in the mortality of London. In the week that ended last Saturday the deaths registered were 904 ; in the preceding week they were 925 ; within the last six weeks the weekly number has been reduced by a hundred. In the ten weeks corresponding to last week of the years 1843. 52 the average number was 1,004, which, raised in proportion to increase of population, becomes 1,104. Hence it appears that the actual number of deaths in last week is less than the estimated amount by 200. Fatal cases produced by zymotic or epidemic diseases, and registered last week, are in the aggregate 225 ; the average number in ten corresponding weeks, after correction for increase of population, is 337. This average, however, is swelled by the cholera of 1849, and makes the comparison more favourable for last week than is founded on the results of ordinary years. One disease in this class exhibits a considerable increase in the present return, namely, diarrhoea, which amounts to 54. Including dysentery, the numbers in the last three weeks have been 34, 39, 54. Small-pox was fatal to two children, measles to 26, scarlatina to 26 and 1 adult, hooping-cough to 37, croup 8, thrush 4, influenza 1, purpura to 2 persons, typhus and other fever 51, erysipelas 7, syphilis 3 ; and the following three cases of cholera were registered in the week : In the sub-district; St. Paul's, Deptford, at 7, Albertstreet, on 14th July, the son of a miller, aged 6 months, died of "cholera infantum (22 hours)." In Islington, at 11, Everilda-street, on 7th July, the son of a bookkeeper, aged 7 months, " cholera (4 days), secondary fever." At 4, Sugar-loaf-court, Whitechapel, on 11th July, the wife of an engineer, aged 42 years, died of "English cholera (2 days)." Six deaths occurred in the week in the London Fever Hospital ; the following are the particulars of these : On 10th July, a tailoress, from 37, Hart-street, Strand, aged 37 years, "typhus (13 days) ; in hospital 9 days. On 11th July, a female servant, from Cannon-stmet, St. George-in-the-East, aged 19 years, " typhoid fever (43 days), plebitis (14 days) ;in hospital 38 days." On 12th July, a needlewoman, from 37, Hart-street, Strand, aged 38 years, "typhus (10 days) ; in hospital 6 days." On 13th July, a charwoman, from York-street, Marylebone, aged 31 years, "typhus (duration unknown) ; in hospital 6 days." n 13th July, a sergeant in the City police, aged 36 years, "typhus (10 days) ; in hospital 3 days." On 16th July, a child, aged 3 years, from IVluswell-hill, " scarlatina (duration unknown) ; in hospital 30 days." In Bermondsey, at 1, Printer's-place, on 11th July, the son of a baker, aged one year, died of " rubeola, livid (3 days), pneumonia (4 days)." The medical attendant of this case adds on his certificate :—" This is the second child of the same family within six weeks ; there is always a most abominable stench in this house arising from a drain."  In Roxton Old Town, at 9, Avebury-street, on 12th July, the son of an engineer, aged 5 years, died of "diarrhoea." Mr. Pearce, the registrar, was told by informant of the death that offensive smells had existed in this house for some time past, caused by imperfect drainage, but that the defect had been remedied. The following additional cases are selected from the returns :—At 19, Huntworth-mews, Dorset-square, on 13th July, a porter, 44 years, died of "traumatic tetanus from having run a splinter under the nail of his middle finger while washing a cart on sth July (4 days.)." On the 27th June, in a sewer, Holywellstreet, St. Clement Danes, an excavator, 36 years, was " was accidentally suffocated by earth falling on him." At 1, Cleveland-street, St. Pancras, on 11th July. a painter, aged 56 years, died of " chronic inflammation of the stomach and liver, and hypertrophy of the heart (10 months) ; repeated attacks of colica pictonum (several years)." In St. George's Hospital, on Bth July, a carman, 26 years, "abscess in the cellular tissue of great toe (3 weeks), pyinmia (2 weeks), secondary deposits in lungs, kidneys, &c."—Post mort. In the B.olborn district, at 24, Mount-pleasant, on 13th July, the son of a traveller, aged 5 years, "acute synovitis of the left knee (3 days)." At 29, Warner-street, Kent-road, on 13th July, the daughter of a coachmaker, aged 9 months, ".diphtheritis (one month)." A girl of 5 years died of eczema. Three males and three females of psoas abscess. Two men of cirrhosis. One death is attributed to intemperance, besides another in which suicide was committed in a state of mind produced by the same habit.  Last week the births of 716 boys and 651 girls, in all 1,367 children, were registered in London. In the eight corresponding weeks of the years 1845-52, the average number was 1,289.  At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean height of the barometer in the week was 29.598 in. The reading of the barometer increased from 29 81 in. at the beginning of the week to 29.90 in. by 9h. a.m. on the 12th ; decreased to 29.16 in. by noon on the 14th ; and increased to 29.49 in. by the end of the week. The mean temperature of the week was 58.7 deg., which was 3.3 deg. lower than the average of the same week in 38 years. The mean daily temperature was below the average on every day of the week except Monday and Tuesday; it was more than 6 deg. below the average on the last three days. The highest temperature occurred on Tuesday, and was 75.3 deg.; the lowest on Monday, and was 50.4 deg. The greatest difference between the dew point temperature and air temperature was 16'7 de-r'., and occurred on Tuesday ; the least, 2.3 deg., on Wednesday ; the mean difference in the week was 8.6 deg. The wind blew from the south-west. The week has been remarkable for rain ; the quantity measured in inches that full on Wednesday was 10, on Thursday 2.63, on Friday '23, on Saturday 'l3; the total amount of the week 3.14.