ON THE INFLUENCE OF WEATHER UPON MORTALITY. 



311 



January 1858 — Meteorological Report : As showing the general mildness of 

 the month, it may be mentioned that at Sandwick, wall-flower, stock, carnation, 

 and borage were in flower, so as to yield a bouquet on the 1st of January, w^hile 

 the hepaticas were in flower on the 4th. At Aberdeen, the hazel and snowdrop 

 were in flower on the 25th ; and at Banchory House the Rhododendron 'ponticum 

 was in flower on the 29th. The thrush was often heard singing during the month 

 at Scourie, and the lark at Aberdeen." Registrar-General : " The weather dur- 

 ing the first two months of the quarter was unusually mild and open ; and though 

 the mean temperature was gradually falling during January and February, it was 

 not till the 1st of March that winter, with its frosts and snow, fairly set in over 

 the country." 



Thus far, then, whatever we may meet with in detail, we must be impressed 

 with the fact that the general term of a " mild" or " open" January corresponds 

 with a low rate of mortality, a " severe" January with a high rate of mortality. 



We next proceed to consider the months of March, and, in order to avoid long 

 quotations, if we find that the exceptional months were " mild," we may assume 

 that the four months of the maximum section were more or less " severe." 



Year. 



Maximum 

 Mortality. 



1860, . 



. 283-2 



1858, . 



. 257-8 



1862, . 



. 256-7 



1857, . 



. 250-0 



1859, . 



. 



1861, . 



. ... 



Major 

 Mortality. 



232-0 



Minor 

 Mortality. 



Mean 249-8. 



220-2 



March 1859. — Registrar-General : " This month has therefore been charac- 

 terised, even more intensely than the last, by an unusual amount of west wind, a 

 low barometer, and, on the western coast, abundant rain and equable tempera- 

 ture. On the eastern coast, the rains have been scanty, but the temperature 

 high." 



March 1861. — Registrar-General: "The months of February and March 

 however, have both been above the average temperature ; and as this increase of 

 temperature has been attended with a greater fall of rain and a greater amount 

 of humidity than usual, while there has been a diminution in the proportion of 

 cold arid east winds, and a preponderance of high winds from the west and 

 south-west, there has been a free circulation of air, and no such stagnation of the 

 atmosphere as would allow the excessive moisture to become hurtful to the living- 

 inhabitants. Hence the mortality of February and March has been below the 

 average of former years ; and if the weather continues favourable, as it appeal's 

 to be giving every indication of doing, the present year may prove, like the census 

 year 1851, a year of low mortality, and of prosperity and heavy crops to the 

 farmer." Here " mildness" characterises also the months of lower mortality. 



VOL. XXIII. PART II. 4 Q 



