AND ITS INHABITANTS 167 



1. In months having no storms (17,800 deaths), the rate 

 was 8.6 per cent less than the normal. 



2. In months having slight storms (3,000 deaths), the 

 rate was 6.1 per cent less than the normal. 



3. In months having moderate stormlness (1,700 deaths), 

 the rate was 13.8 per cent less than the normal. 



On the basis of these figures and of others in other parts 

 of the country the bad effect of great stormlness in cold 

 weather appears to be balanced by the good effect in warm 

 weather. To this, however, must be added the significant fact 

 that stormlness, as has already been explained, appears to 

 increase people's vitality and energy at all seasons.^ 



What has all this to do with civilization? Much, as we 

 shall shortly see. Thus far we have been dealing only with 

 people of European races. We have seen that whether in 

 France, Italy, or any one of five sections of the United States, 

 the best health and greatest energy are found under essentially 

 the same conditions. Less intensive studies of Belgium, 

 Finland, Germany, and Sweden indicate that so far at least 

 as temperature is concerned the response is the same as in 

 France, Italy, and the United States. This is evident from 

 the following table : 



Optimum Temperature on the Basis of the Death-Rate 

 in Foreign Countries 



Place 



Belgium, 



Finland, 



Germany, 



Japan, 



Stockholm, 



Average, 62.7° 



3 For a further discussion of this matter see the author's volume on "Civiliza- 

 tion and Climate," 1915, published by Yale University Press. 



