232 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



north, uortlieast, aucl northwest winds arc more Irequeutly positive. 

 (Levy.) Setting aside the regular dinrual variations, it follows that in 

 the same latitude — location — the proximity of trees or buildings, the force 

 and direction of the prevailing winds, the existence or non-existence of 

 clouds, and the occurrence of heavy rain, hail, or snow, mainly affect 

 the atmospheric electricity. Some approximation to the electrical dis- 

 turbance might, therefore, be attained by noting some of these condi- 

 tions during the month. The resultant direction of the winds during 

 September, 1872, at Toronto was north 79° west, and in September, 

 1871, north 74° west. The mean velocity for the month was 5.24 

 miles per hour in 1872, and 5.50 miles per hour in 1871. The maximum 

 velocity in September, 1872, was twenty-nine miles ; in 1871, twenty- 

 six miles. In September, 1872, twenty days had each a less average 

 than six miles per hour, while ten days each averaged from six to ten 

 miles. In September, 1871, eighteen days individually averaged under 

 six miles per hour, while twelve days had averages ranging from this n\) 

 to ten miles. Eain fell on sixteen days of the month in 1872, the total 

 duration of fall being 43.4 hours. It fell on eight days in 1871, the dura- 

 tion of fall being 27.7 hours. The observations made thrice daily in 

 September, 1872, at Toronto, report the weather in twenty-nine instances 

 cloudy, three times hazy, one time foggy, three times threatening, five 

 times a light rain, and one time a heavy rain. It is twenty-six times re- 

 ported clear. It was marked calm on twenty-eight occasions, seven 

 times calm and clear, fourteen times calm and cloudy, and seven times 

 calm and foggy. 



It is manifest, from these data, that there must have been consider- 

 ably more disturbance of the electrical tension during September last, 

 in Toronto, than during the same month of 1871, and the frequency of 

 thunder and lightning testifies to the same truth. September, 1872, had 

 thunder or lightning on the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 12th, 18th, 19th, 22d, 23d, 

 2Gth, and 29th. September, 1871, had thunder reported on the 3d, and 

 thunder and lightning on the 18th. I have not before me the report of 

 the thunder-storms at Toronto for the earlier months of 1872, but for 

 1871 there are but six storms reported for July, six for August, and three 

 for June. Altogether, there appears to be testimony to an existence of 

 an unusual amount of disturbance of the electrical equilibrium in Sep- 

 tember, 1872 ; but whether this is sufficient to account for the origin of 

 influenza may still be disputed. It is needless to deny how man and 

 beast often sufler during the prevalence of the electrical disturbances, 

 and especially just before the bursting of a thunder-storm. And con- 

 sidering how the nuclei (nutritive centers) of the different animal tissues 

 have their functions arrested or perverted by inflammatory action ; and 

 considering further the varied development of many of the lowest organ- 

 isms, when i)laccd in different circumstances, it does not seem very irra- 

 tional to assume that under varying conditions of electrical action, and 

 of other attendant circumstances, there may be developed from these 

 ultimate living particles of the animal body, or from vegetable organ- 

 isms, new organic particles, with novel and pathogenic properties, and 

 capable of multiplying indefinitely and disseminating a specific disease. 

 But there is no evidence that this is really the case. We have merely 

 the coincidence of cxteusi\e electrical disturbances, and the outbreak of 

 the influenza of 1872. AVith regard to formei' epidemics. Dr. Parkes 

 says that " no evidence has been collected which shows any connection 

 with conditions of telluric magnetism or atmospheric electricity, and, 

 indeed, the peculiar spread and frequent localization of influenza seem 



