850 



Tfte Meteorology of Whitehaven. 



sky. The tracks of many might be followed by trains of bluish light ex- 

 tending for some distance behind them ; others exactly resembled rockets 

 in appearance, and exploded in a shower of brilliant scintillations. The 

 most remarkable of the meteors were observed between the I7th and 

 26th of October, and on the 10th, 11th, and 12th of November. 



The oppressive heat of the summer of 1846 will long be remembered. 

 The mean temperature of June, July, and August, is 3'°J:9 above the aver- 

 age, and is 5-°27 above the corresponding quarter in 1845. But, for 

 convenience of comparison with the Registrar-General's report on the 

 mortality, we have made the summer quarter to end with September, 

 which reduces the excess of heat to 2"°96, or 3° nearly. This unnatu- 

 rally high temperature has apparently had an injurious effect on the 

 health, both of the animal and vegetable kingdoms. The number of 

 deaths in the summer quarter (June 30th to September 30th) of the last 

 eight years, in this town, and in the whole union, are as follow : — 



1839 



184018411842 



I I 



1843 



184418451846 



Whitehaven Q^ 



Do. Union. 134 



40 

 120 



64 

 127 



80 

 149 



60 

 131 



61 

 136 



54 200 

 150 ' 352 



Hence, the deaths occurring in Whitehaven alone, in the summer quar- 

 ter of 1846, exceed the average of the preceding seven years by 140, or 

 233 per cent. ; they are nearly four-fold the number in 1845, and exactly 

 five-fold the number in 1840. It is only fair, however, to state, that so far 

 as Whitehaven is considered per se, a large proportion of the deaths w^ere 

 those of children who were carried off by measles, which made its appear- 

 ance as an epidemic during this period. If, therefore, we take in the 

 whole Union, comprising twenty-three districts, it will perhaps afford a 

 more correct comparison. The average number of deaths in the quarter 

 for seven years, is 135, and the greatest number is in 3 845, viz , 150 ; 

 but in 1846, the deaths are 352, shewing an increase of more than 160 

 per cent, over the average. The mortality throughout the kingdom in 

 the summer quarter, was dreadfully great ; 51,235 deaths were registered, 

 a number greater by 15,227 than in the corresponding quarter of 1845, 

 and 11,898 more than in any September quarter since the register was 

 commenced in 1838. We may readily conceive how, in a summer like 

 the past, marked by excessive heat, and a damp and stagnant condition 

 of the atmosphere, and consequently favouring the rapid decomposition of 

 all kinds of animal matter, those diseases referable to an impure atmo- 

 sphere, as typhoid fever, &c , should exhibit an alarming increase ; whilst 

 cholera, diarrhoea, and other intestinal complaints, may have been fa- 

 voured by a diet chiefly vegetable, and by profuse perspirations suddenly 

 checked. 



The potato disease had made its appearance generally throughout the 

 kingdom by the end of July. In the report for last year, we endeavoured 

 to shew that it could have little or no connection with atmospheric pecu- 

 liarities, and we have seen nothing since which has induced us to alter 

 that opinion. 



Several strange ^ birds and insects were observed this summer, having 



