Weather and Natural History Notes. 209 



diseases are usuallv most fatal in summer and autmnn, and there 

 was a slight rise in the death-rate during July, but the rate in 

 October was with that of Januarj' the lowest of the year. The 

 fatalities from the other digestive diseases was high in June and 

 August, but otherwise generally low. 



Among the infectious diseases the most noticeable point is 

 the increase of cases of diphtheria in October, November, and 

 December. So far as this was due to seasonal influences I think 

 it may be explained by the catarrhs of the throat caused by the 

 wet weather following the prolonged drought and affording suit- 

 able breeding grounds for the development of the organisms 

 which produce the disease. A gratifying feature was the low 

 mortality, there being only five deaths out of 72 cases notified 

 throughout the year. 



Taking 1911 as a whole, though one or two months showed 

 adverse weather conditions and high death-rates, it cannot be 

 said to have been unfavourable to health, and this is borne out 

 by the figures given as well as by the low general death-rate. 



