As we ventured to hope last week, the virulence of
the influenza epidemic is abating. The report of the Registrar. General published on Wednesday, shows that in the week ending Saturday last, there were in London 436 deaths from influenza, as against 506 in the previous week, a decrease of 70,—a sure sign that the worst is over. The general death-rate is, however, very high, corresponding to an annual rate of 41.0 per thoasand. Altogether, there were in London 3,355 deaths and 2,643 births. Allowing for the increase of population, the births were 154 below and the deaths 1,471 above the average numbers in the corre- sponding week of the last ten years. Brighton, which in the previous return showed so high a death-rate, has now one corresponding to an annual rate of only 24.6 per thousand; while Sunderland is down to 18.4, and Birmingham and Halifax to about 19. In all probability, another fortnight will see the end of the epidemic.
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