IXVlll. 



NOTES ON THE METEOROLOGY AND MORTALITY OF 

 THE MONTH OF DECEMBER, 1870. 



By Dr. E. Swarbreck Hall. 



Many of the meteorological phenomena of this month approximated very 

 closely to the standard noinr.il mean ; others, however, (littered widely from 

 the average, but tlie general result was favourable to health and life. 



Atmospheric prct-nur mean, "Z'JSiJ'.i, was + 'US above the 25 years' adopted 

 standard mean for December. Only twice before in the previous 30 years, 

 had December a higher atmospheric jiressure mean. The maximum, 30 330, 

 occurred on the 2(3th, and the minimum, 29195, on the 0th the extreme 

 range of the month, therefore, being 1 '135 inches. In December, 1855, the 

 range was 1 "518 inches, being the only year which exceeded the present one. 

 The greatest range of the barometer in any twenty-four hours was a fall 

 of — '395 of an inch on the 0th. Only twice before in the previous ]5 years 

 was there a lower range in a simOar period of time in the month of 

 December. On 14 other days, however, there were variations of the baro- 

 meter exceeding one- fifth of an inch. 



IViud-force amoiinie'l to 85 '34 lbs, being— 2"08 below the average. Light 

 sea breezes predominated in number, but north-west in aggi-egate force. On 

 the 6th and 17th there were north-west hot tcinds, with a force of 10 '42 lbs 

 each. Calms were 15 being -I- 211 above the average. 



Temperature mean, 01 '51 degrees, was only + 00 '39 above the mean, and 

 the self -registering thermometers gave a much lower mean, than the observed 

 ones. The xoet-bulh thermometer mean, 54 "26, was — 72 below the mean. 

 The extremes of temperature were, 86 with a hot wind on the 6th, and 

 minimum of 44 in the night of the 20th. 



Daily-range of temperature had a mean of 21*65 degrees, which is 

 -f 1 '74 above the average greatest range was 36 degrees on the 6th. 



/S'o?a?'-m^e«si7,?/ mean, 10630 degrees, was 4- 2 '33 above the average. The 

 hottest record was 125 degrees on the 6th. 



Terrestrial-radiation mean, 45 "95 degrees, was — 2 "29 below the average, 

 the coldest record being 41 degrees on the nights of the 5th, 22ad, and 

 23rd. 



Elastic-force of vapour mean, 341 was 11 degrees below the average. The 

 range was from 235 to 492. 



Humidity mean, 63, was — 5 below the average. 



Rain-fall amounted to only '55 of an inch, being — 118 inches less than 

 the average. On only one occasion, in the night of the 30th, did sufficient 

 fall to flush the water courses and sewers. Snow was never visible from the 

 city on Mount Wellington during the month. 



Spontaneons-evapiuration amounted to 4 "43 inches. 

 Cloud mean, 614, was -f- '53 above the average. 



Ozone mean, 5 '45, was 1*74 below the average, and the smallest ever re- 

 corded for the month of December. 



Electricity records were 30 positive, with tension from 3 tD 7*5 ; negative 32, 

 with tension from 2 to 6 "5. '^o thunder ox lightning A.VLr\ngi\iQ month. The 

 Aiirora Australis seen four times. 



The deaths this month were 36, being — 8 9-13 below the average of the 

 previous 13 years. Out of the thii'teen only 1865 had fewer (30) ; 1864 

 had the same in number as the present month ; all the rest had more. 

 Under one year old there were 7 deaths ; from 1 to 5 the deaths were 

 4 ; from 5 to 10 no deaths ; from 10 to 15 there were 2 deaths ; and 2 also 

 from 15 to 20. Altogether the deaths under twenty years old form an 

 unusually large proportion of the total deaths. From 20 to 60 there were 12 

 deaths ; and at 60, and all ages above, 9, the oldest being 79 years old. The 

 deaths in Hospital were 7, four of which were from other districts, and another 

 was a sailor. The Brickfields and Cascades establishments had each 3 deaths. 

 There were 3 Inquests. In the Zymotic class of diseases there were 5 deaths : 

 — Four children from i)<arr/i*a, and one young woman from " /o?'; /ei'er." 

 One of the Hospital deaths was from Tetanus (lock-jaw), whether traumatic 

 or idiopathic is uncci'tain. It is remarkable that the boy's father died from 

 tiie same disease some years ago. The boy's sufferings were greatly miti- 



