PEPPER TREE AS A CAUSE OF HAY FEVER. 147 



lu reviewing some hay-fever work by Dr. Scheppegrell, in 

 America, Tlie Lancet, April 22, 1916, states: — " Hay fever is 

 chiefly regarded in this country (England) as a very real, rather 



distressing but not very serious complaint In certain 



parts of America it assumes svich a severe character that many 

 .sufferers have to move into other districts when the spring or 

 autumn fever becomes prevalent, and business may be seriously 

 interfered with solely on this account." 



The hay fever prevalent in Bloemfontfein is also of this 

 severe type. For several years it has occurred regularly in 

 greater or less severity from about the third week in October 

 intermittently until into January. It is a source of great dis- 

 comfort and misery to susceptible persons and considerably 

 reduces th.eir efficiency and happiness. The complaint is especi- 

 all'y severe during the dry, hot dusty weather prevalent in 

 Bloemfontein at this season. 



On examination of the flowers of the pepper tree (Scliinus 

 ■molle), to which the epidemics are popularly attributed, they 

 were found to possess the usual characters of flowei's pollinated 

 by insects, including an abundance of nectar, viscid stigma and 

 sticky pollen (Potts, 1919). The pollen seemed to be more than 

 ordinarily adhesive, as the anthers were often stuck together 

 by it, and when pollen was dropped on to smooth paper or glass 

 it was impossible to blow it off with the mouth. Hence it was 

 concluded that pepper tree pollen was not wind-borne, and 

 could, therefore, not be the cavise of the epidemics. During the 

 next hay fever season the investigation could not be continued 

 because of the influenza epidemic, but in 1919 steps were taken 

 to ascertain the varieties of pollen floating in the air. 



As the conclusion is arrived at that the epidemics investi- 

 gated are to a very great extent dependent on the climate, an 

 account will first be given of the climate of Bloemfontein. 



II. Climate of Bloemfontein. 

 The following statistics give a general idea of the climatolo- 

 gical conditions prevailing, but as figures alone are apt to be 

 lifeless or even misleading they are supplemented by a descrip- 

 tive account and some impressions of the weather. The 

 statistics should be compared with those of other centres whose 

 climate is known. I felt the need of weather records in study- 

 ing Dr. Scheppegrell 's valuable reports on hay fever in America, 

 and it is almost impossible to procure froin another country 

 statistics sufficiently detailed to be of value. A knowledge of 

 the climate is also' necesisary to vmdenstand the nature and 

 periodicity of the vegetation. Additional information regarding 

 the Bloemfontein climate will be found later in the report, es- 

 pecially in the sections dealing with the exposure of pollen 

 plates, the drying of the pollen, and the occurrence of pepper 

 trees in other towns of the Union. Temperatures' are in deereos 

 Fahrenheit and rainfall in inches. The latitude of Bloemfonteui 

 is 29° 07' S. ; distance from the sea (nearest point) about 290 

 miles; altitude 4,568 feet; and average barometric pressure, 

 25'6 inches. 



