S02 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



acid. It will be observed that no circumstance opposes the proposed 

 theory, hence the experiments prove, that the quantity of carbonic 

 acid contained in venous blood, is more than sufficient to furnish the 

 quantity expired. — Journal de Chimie Medicale, November 1837. 



ON THE LOW TEMPERATURE OF JANUARY 1838, BY MR. 

 F. WATKINS. 

 To the Editors of the Philosophical Magazine and Journal. 

 Gentlemen, 



As my own residence is so unfavourable for meteorological obser- 

 vations, I have had for many years, in the Blackheath road, a series 

 of instruments under the charge of a gentleman of high scientific 

 acquirements, and devoted to the study of the various phaenomena 

 which occur in the aerial regions. From his observations a diagram 

 has been formed, showing the maximum and minimum thermometric 

 curves for the month of January as compared with the mean. 



The beginning of the month was mild, both curves being above 

 the mean temperature of Greenwich, deduced from twenty years' 

 observations. Towards the 8th both curves descended far below the 

 mean, and continued so till, on the 20th, just at sun- rise, the ther- 

 mometer stood at 4^ below or zero, or 40° below the mean of 

 the period. 



This low degree of temperature lasted some hours, for at 9 a.m. 

 it was —2°, at 10 a.m, -f 1J° at 11 a.m. +4^ and at noon only 

 4- 7°, after which it rose many degrees, and the wind veered from 

 the east to south. 



On the 22nd both curves ascended above the mean, and on the 

 23rd descended as abruptly below, accompanied by a strong easterly 

 gale, which continued until the end of the month. 



• Two things may be here remarked, as being unprecedented in 

 the annals of meteorology in this country : 1st, the thermometer 

 below zero for some hours ; and 2ndly, followed, almost immediately 

 after, by a variation of nearly 50 degrees. It should be noticed 

 however from general observation that thaws commonly succeed 

 very unusual low degrees of temperature. 



My friend informs me, that before last month the lowest degree 

 of temperature he has ever registered during thirty years, is +4°, 

 and that only once, and it was very transient. 



The temperature of the month had been gradually preparing us 

 for an extreme of cold, for on the 12th the minimum was 12°*2, on 

 the 13th 90-6, and on the 15th 6o-5. From the 18th to the night 

 of the 19th, on which day there was only a maximum of 21", the 

 approach of an unusual degree of severity was indicated ; the radiator 

 on the snow at 6 p.m. marked 9° : the evening proved cloudy with 

 a variable temperature from 15° to 12°. The lowest mean tempera- 

 ture for the month (for twenty years) falls about the 16th. Finally, 

 the average degree of cold on our very severe night is 16°; 

 therefore the thermometer on the night of the 19th departed 20° 

 lower than this, a circumstance, happily for us, of rare occurrence in 

 this climate. I remain, Gentlemen, yours, &c., 



6, Charing Cross. Fkancis Watkins, 



