111. 



REMARKS ON OBSERVATORY RECORDS, WITH HEALTH REPORT 

 FOR JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, 1870, AND A COMPARISON OF 

 THE VITAL STATISTICS OF 1869, WITH THOSE OF PREVIOUS 

 YEARS. BY DR. E. SWARBRECK HALL. 



The only striking variations from the usual January weather to be seen in 

 the table are — First, the deficiency of ozone, the amount being much below 

 the January average, and less than for any of the previous twelve years re- 

 corded ; second : Windforce was much above the average with a great pre- 

 dominance from that point of the compass, N.W., most adverse to health; 

 third : though the temperature mean was not in excess, the extreme range in 

 the month was greatly so ; feurth : Rainfall was most advantageously above 

 the average, only one January in the twenty-nine years recorded having a 

 greater fall, i.e., 1849, with the small superiority of four-hundreths of an inch. 

 On the other hand humidity mean was considerably below the average. The 

 electrical condition of the atmosphere recorded shows nothing inimical to 

 health, the positive indications as well as the tension, being an usually fair 

 proportion of the whole. The Hobarton district deaths this month, so far 

 recorded, 64, are 15 above the average of the previous 13 years, 23 more than 

 1869 had, and considerably higher than any year since 1860, when 72 deaths 

 occurred. 1858, the highest of the 13, having had the maximum 74, and 1864 

 the minimum 24. This excessive mortality was not owing to the prevalence 

 of any epidemic disease, and it fell heaviest on adults and very aged persons. 

 Of the 64 deaths, 19 only were under one year old, while 1860 had 28, and 

 1858 had 32. From 1 to 5 years old the present January had only 3 deaths, 

 while 1860 had 7, but 1858 had 10, From 5 to 20 years old the deaths were 

 3, while 1860 had 7, but 1858 3 only also. From 20 and all ages above the 

 deaths were 38, while 1860 had only 30, and 1858 only 29. Above 60 years 

 old January, 1870, had 17 deaths, 1860 only 9, 1858 only 8. December, 1869, 

 however, had 6 deaths less than the December average, while December, 1859, 

 had 17 more than the average, and December, 1857, 3 more. 



The Hobarton Registration District had the smallest number of deaths, 

 for the whole year of 1869, than any of the previous twelve, the number 

 being only 472, while the average of the previous 12 is 568, and the 

 least in the numbei', 492 in 1865. This is without reference to the 

 increase annually of the population by excess of births over deaths. 

 For the whole of Tasmania, too, the registered deaths, 1335, were 

 the fewest in proportion to population, being 129 less than 1868 had, 

 and 107 less than the average of the previous twelve years. 1869 was 

 entirely free from epidemic diseases. Estimating the population of all Tas- 

 mania at 100,000, the death rate would be about 13 ^ per 1000 per annum. 

 The death rate of England and Wales is about 22 per 1000, and the Registrar- 

 General of England considers 17 per 1000 a nominal death rate. So favourable 

 a condition of health cannot be expected to continue long in Tasmania, seeing 

 how wide-spread is the neglect of vaccination and other hygienic measures, 

 which most civilised communities elsewhere are so energetically enforcing. 

 The homely adage, " a stitch in time may save nine," is particularly ap- 

 plicable to Tasmania. 



The deaths in February, registered up to the 6th March inclusive, were 48, 

 being 6 6-13ths below the February average of the previous thirteen years. 



