( VI ) 
STATE OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH. 
1st Quarter. — 122,042 deatlis were registered in this quarter. 
The mortality was about 2-472 per cent., or slightly above (2-4G0) 
the average of this season — in the absence of epidemics always 
the most fatal in England. The rate of mortality in the chief town 
districts was 2-613 ; in the small town and country districts 2-338 
per cent. The latter rate is above, the former below, the average 
of those districts respectively. The deaths in the quarter, at the 
rates actually prevailing in the healthier districts of the country, 
Avould only have amounted to 88-708. Consequently, the deaths 
from causes induced by the unfavourable sanitary condition in 
which large numbers of the people live, amount to 33,934. 
2nd Quarter. — The deaths registered in the three months that 
ended June 30th were 110,878, a larger number than was returned 
in any previous Jime quarter (1848-59). The annual rate of mor- 
tality in the quarter was 2-228 per cent, of the population, while the 
average often previous spring quarters was 2-195, The excess no 
doubt was caused in some measure by badness of weather and 
dearness of food. If the mortality had been at the rate of the 
selected healthy districts instead of the actual rate, the deaths in 
the whole of England and Wales last quarter would have been 
85,283, or 25,595 less than the actual number. 
PEICE OF PEOVISIONS. 
1st Quarter. — The average price of wheat was 44s. 5d. a quarter, 
while in the corresponding quarters of the two previous years it 
was respectively 4Ga'. 5c/. and 40s. M. Beef was sold on an average 
at 5J c/. a pound by the carcase at Leadenhall and Kewgate ]\Iarkets ; 
the average of the highest prices of the best beef having been 6^., 
of the lowest prices 3|f/. The inferior beef was Id. a pound lower 
than in the winter of the preceding year; so the price fell 21 per 
cent. The superior beef only fell from fif (7. to Q^d. The average 
price of mutton was hid. a pound ; inferior mutton 4|f?. ; superior 
6jtZ. a pound. York Eegent potatoes sold on an average at 130s. 
a ton at the Waterside Market, Southwark. 
2nd Quarter. — ^^'heat has risen in price ; the average in the three 
months ending June 30th was 52s. 8f/. per quarter. In the same 
period of last year it was 47s. M., and in that of 1858 it was 
44s. Id. The dearness both of bread and meat has been sensibly 
felt by the labouring class. The average price of beef was b^d. 
per lb. ; that of mutton as sold by the carcase at Leadenhall 
and Xewgate Markets. York Eegent potatoes sold at the Waterside 
Market, Southwark, at an average price of 142s. Gc?. per ton. 
