Climate and Mortality of Glasgow^ 1851. 245 



^ortali^^ ar^d , Temperature in Different Jfdonths in 1851. 



The effect of cold on the total mortality is sufficiently obvious in 

 November and December, and particularly on the aged and consump- 

 tive subjects. There can be less hesitation in tracing the increaijed 

 deaths, in some measure, to the depression of temperature, as no 

 epidemic prevailed peculiarly in these months. The fall of the tem- 

 perature from 45° to 28°, destroys, in London, from 300 to 500 

 lives. Hence we can readily understand how it may have happened, 

 that a considerable portion of the 237 cases of excess of mortality 

 in December over October, may have been due to the operation of 

 this depressing influence during the cold month of November. The 

 effect of temperature may probably appear more striking from a 

 comparison of the various q[uarters of the year in a population of 



360,138i^^'> i^'^mw^i «• ^i 



-■ • *T l*t'4!giiikvte<^.'' 

 Jan, to ilarch. 



o 



Mean temperature, ...41 "2 



Total mortality, 2634 



Above 60, .■ f..v::..;/sl5^ " 

 Consumption,. : .'. . ..'.;i' ' '504 '' 

 Diseases of the Lungs, ... 

 Zymotic, 751 



"i :l^ >*(l-^'*'( hIcHA/ SI1 



Apr. to June. 



49-5 

 2535 

 290 

 471 

 190 

 885 



»' 'Sd'QuaK'" 

 July to Sept. 



55-4 

 2572 



283 



466 



153 

 1063 



4tl* Quar. 

 Oct. to Dec. 



43-7 

 2917 



386 



491 



305 

 1025 



The total mortality during the winter quarters of the year 

 amounts, according to this table, to 5551, while that of the two 

 milder quarters is 5107, shewing a difference in favour of the 

 warmer portion of the year of 444 — the total mortality during the 

 year being 10,746. That this mortality was not greater during the 

 last quarter, when the tempei'ature remained protractedly depressed, 

 was undoubtedly due, in some measure, to the improved condition of 

 the poorer classes in regard to food — that most natural and powerful 

 bulwark against the attacks of disease. Notwithstanding, however, 

 the circumstance that it is possible to account for the excess of 



