Weather of 1910 in Relation to Health. 261 



December was also a month of disturbed atmospheric states, 

 but winds being chiefly from south-east and south-west, was also 

 as abnormally mild as November was abnormally cold. The 

 barometer was low, the temperature high, and the rainfall some- 

 what in excess, there being a large number of rainy days. The 

 mean barometric pressure was 29.269 inches; the mean tempera- 

 ture, 41.6 deg. F. (6.6 deg. F. higher than the November mean) ; 

 the mean daily range, 8.5 deg. F. ; the humidity, 89 per cent.; 

 the average rainfall, 5.15 inches; and the rainy days, 26. The 

 total number of deaths was 69, the rate per 1000, 14.693. The 

 circulatory mortality again rose, the malignant disease mortality 

 was high, but not so high as in November. The phthisis death- 

 rate rose to nearly the average of this rate for the year, but that 

 from other tubercular diseases dropped to its minimum, as did 

 also that from pneumonia. Respiratory disease mortality was a 

 very little above the average. The total average death-rate was 

 16.598, and the " expected " deaths 80, or eleven more than the 

 actual number. Scarlet fever became very prevalent during this 

 month, but this was largely due to local causes. 



The principal features of the weather of 1910 were the very 

 disturbed conditions at the beginning of the year, the mildness of 

 March, the unseasonable character of July and August, the bitter 

 cold of November, and the contrast presented by the mildness of 

 December. 



The arithmetical means of the monthly values show that 

 the mean barometric pressure for the year, reduced to 32 deg. F., 

 was 29.524 inches; the mean temperature, 46.2 deg. F. ; the 

 mean daily range, 14.0 deg. F. ; and the humidity, 86 per cent. 

 The absolutely highest temperature of the year was 82 deg. F., 

 which was recorded at Drumlanrig Gardens on 13th July, and the 

 /lowest was 3 deg. F., which was recorded at Eskdalemuir on 

 27th January. The average number of rainy days at the four 

 stations was 199, and the rainfall 49.59 inches. The total rain- 

 fall at Eskdalemuir was 60.38 inches; at Drumlanrig Gardens, 

 5-^:.d7 ; at Dumfries, 43.82; and at Comlongon, 41.07. The 

 averages at Drumlanrig Gardens and Dumfries are available, and 

 show that at both stations the precipitation of 1910 was much in 

 excess, 8.32 inches at the former and 5.53 at the latter. The 

 rainfalls of two other stations at Lochmaben and Ewes have been 

 kindly sent me by the observers, Provost Halliday and Mr Lyall. 



