NOTES ON THE METEOROLOGY AND MORTALITY OF 

 THE MONTH OF JUNE, 1871. 



By Dr. E. Swarbreck Hall. 



This month has been more than usually fatal to persons above 15 years old, 

 and the mortality veiy small indeed to all under that age. The weather was 

 altogether abnormal, though very pleasant. This is tlie first month in 1871 

 in which the death-rate has exceeded the average of the previous 14 years. 



Atmo.-'phcric-prcusure mean, 2i>'92r) was + '44 above the 25 years' average. 

 The extremes were, maximum, 30 "363, on the 6th ; minimum, 29-311, on 

 the 27th, being an extreme range for the whole month of 1'052 inches. This 

 was considerably exceeded in .June, 1870, though the average height of the 

 barometer was less. On ten days the range exceeded one-fifth of an inch, the 

 24th having a fall of more than half an inch, i.e. — 'oSO. 



Wind-force total, 25-48 lbs., was only + "98 above the average, but north- 

 west -winds, the least favorable to health, had 04 out of the 90 observations, 

 with 20-54 lbs. of the strength. All the winds from the other seven points 

 of tlie compass were much below their average both in frequency and force. 

 The strongest wind, a. north-west on the 24th, had only a pressure of 2-60 

 lbs. to the square foot. 



Temperature me^LU, 50-41 degrees, was + 3-66 above the 25 years' average, 

 and nearly two degrees warmer than June 1870 was. Only two Junes in the 

 previous 30 years had a higher mean, i.e. : 18G1 being 50-92, and 1867 51-64. 

 The extremes were 71 on the 2nd about noon, and 33 in the night of the 

 8th. The maximum was twice exceeded in the previous 30 years, the 

 minimum was less in thirteen out of the 30 years. The toet-bulb thermometer 

 mean was 46-53 degrees, being + 2-08 above the 20 years' average. 



The daily ranfie of temperature was the most abnormal meteorological 

 phenomenon of this month, the mean being 19-83 degrees, wliich is + 4-79 

 above the 25 years' average. Only four out of the previous 30 years' Junes 

 had a hiiiher mean. Last year's daily range mean Avas nearly six degrees 

 less. The greatest range in any twenty-four hours was 33 degrees on the 1st, 

 but on 14 otlier days the range exceeded 20 degrees between the extreme heat 

 of the day by the self-registering shade maximum thermometer, and the 

 eelf-registering minimum thermometer in the night. To these extreme varia- 

 tions of temperature was no doubt owing the excessive death-rate in feeble, 

 diseased, ami aged persois, and the great prevalence of diseases of the re- 

 spiratory organs, catarrh, bronchitis, and pneumonia. No doubt, however, 

 the dry state of the air, and the great elastic force of vapour, tended also to 

 the same result. External warmth by fires and good bedding (not from 

 over crowding) is essential at such times to preserve life in aged, diseased, 

 and feeble people, together with warm nutriment in the long and trying 

 interval between the evening and morning meals. The Registrar-General of 

 England emphatically notices in his reports the greatly augmented death-rate 

 in old and ailing persons that accompanies a sudden and extensive fall of 

 temperature. 



Solar Intensity meKTi, 80-28 degrees, was + 5 '34 above the average, and 

 more than four degrees higher than in June 1870. Only June 1856 exceeded 

 the present month. The maximum was 98 degrees on the 15th, being the 

 highest in our records. This extreme warmth of sunshine is the more remark- 

 able, because the cloudy days were above the avei'age. 



Terreistrial-radiation mean, 37-67 degrees, was only -f- 1*04 above the 

 average. The minimum, 32 degrees (freezing point), was noted for the nights 

 of the 2nd, 8th, 10th, 18th, 23rd, 26th. To be exposed, as many persons 

 are, to the extremes of the sun's heat by day, and this cold by night, a varia- 

 tion of 66 degrees, must be trying to the strongest constitutions, and lethal 

 to weak ones. 



Elastic force of vapour mean, 279, was + 10 above the average. It ranged 

 from minimum 175 on the morning of the 8th, to maximum 456 at noon 

 on the 29th. 



Humidity mean, 77, was — 7 below the June average. 



Rain fell on 14 days, which is -f- 2-36 above the average, but the quantity 

 was too trifling on any day but the 27th to make the channels run. The 



