LONDON FOGS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VII, Issue 9, 28 February 1891, Page 3

LONDON FOGS.

Early in February, 1880, a dense fog hung over London. The long - continued and intense gloom, accompanied by cold, largely increased the mortality, and whereas the death rate for the week ending January 24th was 27.1 in 1,000, that for the week ending February 7th had risen to the enormous figure of 48.1 in 1,000. The total deaths in London for the latter week weie, in fact, 3,376, which was 1,657 above the average for the time of year, while of these 1,557 were due to diseases of the respiratory organs, which number was again 1.118 above the average. While, doubtless, some portion of the deaths was due to the increased cold, it is pretty clear that the number to be attributed to this cause was only small, from the fact that while the death - rate in this foggy week in London rose to 48.1, the death ■ rate for the same week in nineteen provincial towns, where an equal cold prevailed, but no fog, was only 26 3. Again, in the foggy week of December, 1873, the deaths in London were more than 700 above the average : and though some of these, no doubt, were due to the causes arising indirectly out of the state of the atmosphere, such as accidents, the great majority must be as cribed to the actual vitiation of the air. On December 10th, during a great part of the day, ‘it was not possible to see across a narrow street, and in the evening a choking sensation (not alas ! a very 7 uncommon thing) was felt in breathing. Of three young men who were out together in the evening of the worst fog two immediately fell ill from its effects and died, and the third had a sharp attack of illness. Thousands of people were thrown so much out of health that they did not recover for some weeks.’ And to complete the tragedy, many of the fat cattle exhibited at the great show at Islington actually died then and there of suffocation ! o A genius in Berlin, Germany, has invented an apparatus by means of which daylight can be distributed into the darkest rooms. The power of lighting any room by this apparatus is unsurpassed. It retains that power for veais, and requires no repairs or attendance while being in function all day. Builders and others will save from one pound to thirty shillings nor ton by using 'OUII COltltl’ GATED IRON.