Weather of 1911 in Relation to Health. 2U3 



tory diseases, pneumonia and bronchitis, cancer, phthisis, and 

 influenza. The heavy mortality may be adduced as an illustra- 

 tion of the truth of the old proverb, that " A green Yule and a 

 white Pasch make a fat kirkyaird," inasmuch as the weather con- 

 ditions of December, 1910, were mild, while those of April were 

 severe and falls of snow were recorded at all the stations. The 

 cases of scarlet fever continued, however, to fall, and there was a 

 considerable drop in diphtheria, one case only coming to our 

 knowledge. 



May was a month of mild weather, with a variable distribu- 

 tion of pressure, and very high mean temperature (highest of any 

 year in Scotland since 1896), which was experienced more particu- 

 larly towards the close. The rainfall was in excess, but the rainy 

 days were fewer than usual, and about the middle of the month 

 we began to experience the period of drought which was so 

 marked a feature of the year and caused .so much anxiety as 

 regards water supplies and vegetation. The average of the 

 barometric readings was 29.662 inches; the mean temperature, 

 51.1 deg. F. ; the humidity, 79 per cent. 3 the rainfall, 2.60 

 inches; and the rainy days, 11. The deaths registered were 69, 

 giving a rate of 14.312 per 1000. The average death-rate was 

 16.172, and the expected deaths 78. CirculatoiT diseases showed 

 their maximum mortality for the year, the deaths due to it being 

 23 per cent, of the whole. Phthisis and cerebral haemorrhage 

 also contributed largely to the rate, but there was a considerable 

 fall in the mortalities from pneumonia, bronchitis, and cancer. 

 Infectious diseases were few in number, there being only nine 

 cases of scarlet fever, two of diphtheria, and one of enteric fever. 



June. — The first half of June was hot, dry, and anti-cvclonic ; 

 the latter half cold and at times wet, the rainfall being verv 

 slightly in excess. The average of the barometric readings was 

 29.633 inches; the mean temperature, 58.4 deg. F. ; the humidity, 

 77 per cent.; the rainfall, 2.99 inches; and the wet days, 14. 

 The deaths registered were 62, giving a rate of 13.290 per 1000. 

 The average death-rate 14.225, and the expected deaths 66. 

 Circulatory diseases again showed a high mortalitv, and after 

 them phthisis, cancer, and digestive diseases were the principal 

 contributors to the death-rate. Digestive chseases were at their 

 maximum mortality for the year ; but cerebral hgomorrhage, 

 pneumonia, and bronchitis were low. Infectious disease returns 



