ON THE INFLUENCE OF WEATHER UPON MORTALITY. 307 



being at the top, that in which the lowest mortality took place being at the foot 

 of the table. Opposite the mortality column are placed the several meteorological 

 readings and deductions of the corresponding months. The columns are then 

 divided into four distinct sections, each comprising eighteen months, the means 

 of which are offered for comparison with each other, and with the means of the 

 seventy-two months which are given alone in every third column. To have 

 carried this table out to the extent of showing, in a similar manner, the order of 

 the death-rate from the several classes of disease and individual diseases, as in 

 the other tables, would have demanded more space than could reasonably be 

 accorded. The materials for such extension, however, are given, and the arrange- 

 ment might easily be made. 



The second table (B) is constructed to represent the meteorology, and the death- 

 rate from all and several causes at all ages, and from all causes at several ages, in 

 the consecutive order of the months in each year : the means and totals of each year 

 are given in separate columns, and the last column shows the means of the six 

 years. The third table (C) is arranged for the purpose of comparing the meteor- 

 ology and mortality of the several corresponding months of the different years, 

 the mean of each of the 420 shorter columns being calculated in order to show 

 more distinctly the character of the various deviations. I may also mention that 

 each table was calculated independently of the others; on this account the 

 general averages occasionally differ to a very trifling extent. 



I. — The Influence of Weather upon Mortality from all Causes. 



In the following details, I shall endeavour to show, as succinctly as possible, 

 the influence of weather upon mortality from all and several causes ; but I can- 

 not pretend to exhaust the information which the tables and diagrams contain. 

 I shall content myself with pointing out the prominent features of the inquiry ; 

 the facts from which they are drawn being placed without reserve before the 

 Society, the inferences which I deduce from them are open to criticism, and 

 nothing can fulfil my own desires more fully than an exposure of error, whether 

 of fact {i.e., of calculation) or of reasoning. 



Season. — The influence of season upon mortality is not very distinctly under- 

 stood, especially with reference to certain individual causes of death, opinions 

 differing widely as to the months which determine the maximum and minimum 

 of mortality from such particular causes. Here I would draw attention to the 

 difference between mortality and disease ; we shall fall into error if we suppose 

 that the season of highest mortality is always the season of greatest sickness. 

 . It not unfrequently happens that certain seasons which are characterised by a 

 maximum of sickness are at the same time distinguished for their low rate of 



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