Maetyk Graves. 39 



for the London districts, were able to shew that there was a 

 distinct seasonal prevalence of certain diseases. Scarlet fever, 

 which usually had its maximum about November, had not followed 

 that course in Dumfriesshire during the past year. It was more 

 prevalent in the early part of the year. And diphtheria, which 

 was usually most prevalent into the latter part of the year, was of 

 most frequent occurrence during the months of September and 

 October. In Dumfriesshire, in particular, experience led them to 

 fear the occurrence of diphtheria during a wet season, and the two 

 months of last year, when there was a prevalence of that disease 

 and high mortality from it, were, he thought, wet months. — Mr 

 Andson : September was the wettest month of the year. — Dr Ross 

 added that the relation of damp and diphtheria did not hold all over 

 the world, for the disease occurred in the dry climate of California. 

 He was glad there had not been so much typhoid in Dumfriesshire 

 last year as in 1 895. They usually found that that disease was more 

 prevalent in the autumn than during the earlier part of the year ; 

 but in Dumfriesshire in 1896 the conditions were reversed. In 

 the previous year, however, there were 51 cases noted in the last 

 quarter of the year, and the prevalence in the first quarter of 1896 

 was entirely due to the fact that they formed a continuance of the 

 epidemic of 1895. Last year they had the pleasing report that in 

 Dumfriesshire there had been no cases of typhoid occurring during 

 the season when we expected to find it prevalent. During 1896 

 only three cases of puerperal fever had been notified, two proving 

 fatal. They all occurred during the last quarter of the year, 

 agreeing in this respect with the usual seasonal prevalence. A 

 large majority of the cases of erysipelas also were recorded during 

 the last quarter of the year, showing the intimate relation between 

 the seasons and disease. 



II. — The Martyr Graves of Wigtownshire. By the Rev. John 

 H. Thomson. 



There are four Martyr Stones in Wigtownshire ; they are at 

 Craigmodie and in Wigtown Churchyard. 



Craigmodie is about eight and a-half miles as the crow flies 

 to the north-west of Kirkcowan, but it is at least ten miles by the 

 road. The stone is an erect one, about three feet in height by 

 two in breadth, and is much the same in appearance as the other 



