21 JANUARY 1871, Page 3

Dr. Bridges' report to the Poor Law Board on the

spread of small-pox in London, is not of a reassuring, still less of a pleasant, character. It affirms in brief, that the disease has been increasing slowly through 1870—rapidly from November, 1870, to January, 1871—till the number of cases under the ad- ministration of the Poor Law Board has increased from 300 at the beginning of November, to more than 900 at the beginning of January. There is no sign that the acme of epidemic has by them only—breaks out every three years.