48 Dr. Bottomley on the late 



tion. In a paper read before the Meteorological Society, 

 November 20th, 1867, the President (Mr. Glaisher) states : — 

 "There is a kind of agreement between the curve of frequency 

 and that of the magnetic variation ; but in comparing it 

 with that of the amount of rain there is nothing similar in 

 the two curves, and therefore there does not seem to be any 

 connection between the diurnal movements of the declina- 

 tion magnet and the diurnal fall of rain." Mr. Glaisher 

 used the Greenwich observations. Mr. Baxendell maintains 

 that the Greenwich observations, when carefully examined, 

 and discussed, lead to the same general conclusion 

 which he had formerly announced, that a connection exists 

 between the daily variation of the rainfall and the daily 

 movements of the declination magnet. — " On the Aurora of 

 April 15th, 1869." 



Session i86g-yo. — "On the Influence of Changes in the 

 Character of the Seasons upon the Rate of Mortality." 

 From an examination of the rates of mortality in Lanca- 

 shire, Cheshire, and the West Riding given in the annual 

 report of the Registrar General, he finds that the average 

 rate was decidedly greater during five years of dry springs 

 and summers, with wet autumns and winters, than during 

 eight years when the seasons were of an opposite character, 

 the mean amount of increase being 9-1 per cent, which 

 in Lancashire alone represents an increase of more than 

 seven thousand in the total number of deaths in one year. 

 The general results of his investigation he briefly recapitu- 

 lates as follows : ist — That the influence of meteorological 

 causes is much greater than that of any other recognised 

 influence. 2nd — That the class of diseases which is most 

 affected by meteorological changes is Class I. (zymotic 

 diseases). 3rd — That the relative increase in the number of 

 fatal cases of disease at different ages in unfavourable 

 seasons, is greatest between the ages of 25 and 75 years, or 

 amongst those classes of the community which are most 



