The Sun. — 1858-10-06 (London, England)

THE PUBLIC HEALTH.  om the Registrar-Gencrars Rettt;•n.)  The deaths in London, which had fallen considerably below a thousand in the previous week, rose in the week ending last Saturday, Oct. 2, to 1021. In the ten years 1848-57 the average number of deaths in the weeks corresponding with last week was 1284 ; and as the number now returned occurred in an increased population, and the average, if raised in proportion to that increase, becomes 1412, a rate of mortality diminished to the extent shown by a comparison of these numbers will appear an eminently favourable result. If, however, the excess of deaths that arose in epidemic seasons is withdrawn from the above average, the comparison will still give a reduction of 240, to show that the present time is unusually healthy. Sixty-three districts of England in which the mortality is least have been selected, and their average rate of mortality in the last three months of the year has been ascertained. If the deaths in London last week had been according to the " healthy rate" thus obtained, and which it is useful to adopt as a standard, they would have been 770 ; and the actual excess, or the number of unnatural deaths, is 251. It is to be regretted that scarlatina shows a constant, though not a rapid increase. During four weeks that have elapsed since the weekly deaths from it rose above 100, the numbers have been consecutively- 115, 118, 125, and (last week) 134. Of these 134 there occurred 11 under one year of age, 18 at one year, 19 at two years, the same number at three. 21 at four, 37 at five, 5 at ten and under fifteen, 4 at twenty years and upwards. To take a few of the sub-districts where scarlatina appears to be most prevalent, there were 8 deaths from it in Islington West, 7 in Lizehouse; 6 in Bow, and 5 in St. Peter, Walworth.  Of 40 deaths registered last week, and placed in the tables to violence, 30 were accidental, 4 were 15 suicide, and no fewer than 6 by murder or manslaughter. Of these last 5 were the deaths of infants. Of nonagenarians in the present returns 3 were men, and of these the oldest had attained the .age  of 9t years. Last week the births of 861 boys and 865 girls, in all 1,726 children were registeredin London. In the ten corresponding weeks of the years 1848-57 the average number was 1,571. At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean height of the barometer in the week was 29.942 in. On the first three days the mean daily reading was above 30 in. The highest reading was 30.36 in., and the lowest 29.47 in. The mean temperature of the week was 57.6 deg., which is 3.6 deg. above the average of the same week in 43 years. The highest point attained by the thermometer in the shade was 71.8 deg. on Wednesday lowest point was 40.1 dcg. on Friday. The entire range of the week was 31.7 deg. The mean daily range was 16.3 deg. The range of temperature on Monday and Tuesday was remarkably small—namely, 9.9 deg. on the former day, and 6.7 deg. on the latter. On Friday it was 25.3 deg. The difference between meanfr from ofn the the the mean dew-point temperature and air temperature was 6.4 dc g• The mean temperature iegn.d Thel Nv degreewat of water of utinleiiTlihtyamweassw7aBs. south-west on every day except Wednesday. No b rain fell, except a little of Wednesdav,ni ht and Thursday morning, tpountiiig to 0.06 in, g