342 



DR R. E. SCORESBY-JACKSON 



6. That the north, north-east, and east winds decidedly tend to increase the 

 death-rate from bronchitis. 



D. The Influence of Weather upon Mortality from all Causes at different Ages. 



There are two periods in a lifetime at which the influence of the weather, 

 equally with that of other external causes, is felt most keenly, — infancy and old age. 

 In childhood, functional activity is bestowed upon the construction and develop- 

 ment of the body ; in old age, it is required to combat a natural tendency to decay ; 

 at both of these periods, the powers of resistance are feeble. Whatever causes 

 interfere with the due performance of the vital functions, are more potent for 

 mischief at these than at other periods of life. The adult can bear an amount of 

 fatigue, both mental and physical, deprivations of food and sleep, and vicissitudes 

 of weather, with far less danger to vitality than others can do at the extremes of 

 life. A glance at the diagram in which the curves of mortality from all causes, 

 at different ages are laid down, will show this distinctly. The curve representing 

 the death-rate from 0-5 years fluctuates more than the rest ; next to that in point 

 of angularity is the death-rate of the aged. The curve of mortality in youth 

 deviates but slightly, and that representing the death-rate in adult life would be 

 much less prominent in its deviations, if it were seen in periods of twenty years 

 each, as in the curves of youth and old age, supposing the latter to extend to eighty. 



The order of the months, according to the death-rate from all causes at dif- 

 ferent periods of life, from the month with the highest to the month with the 

 lowest death-rate, following the means of the six corresponding months, is as 

 follows : — 



0-5 Tears. 



5-20 Tears. 



20-60 Tears. 



60 Tears and Upwards. 



January, 



122-7 



April, . . 



251 



January, . 



72-8 



January, . 



. 45-9 



February, 



. 121-9 



March, 



24-3 



March, 



70-2 



February, 



. 44-0 



December, 



1139 



February, 



24-1 



December, 



67-8 



December, 



. 43-5 



March, . 



. 113-9 



January, . 



23-9 



February, 



67-0 



April, . 



. 421 



November, 



. 111-5 



May, . . 



23-8 



April, . . 



67-9 



March, 



. 41-5 



April, . 



107-5 



June, . 



23-3 



May, . . 



63-2 



November, 



. 41-3 



May, 



. 97-2 



December, 



22-7 



November, 



61-9 



May, . . 



. 35-2 



October, 



96-2 



Julv, . . 



22 5 



June, . 



59-2 



June, . . 



. 34-9 



July, 



96-1 



November, 



22-4 



Julv, . 



54-7 



Julv, . . 



. 312 



September, 



92-2 



October, . 



21-5 



August, . 



51-7 



October, . 



. 28-8 



June, 



91-3 



September, 



20-3 



October, . 



51-0 



August, . 



. 28-7 



August, . 



89-1 



August, . 



19-7 



September, 



48-6 



September, 



. 26-7 



Means, 



104-5 





22-7 





61-3 





369 



It is noticeable, that the order of the months, according to the death-rate in 

 infancy and old age, is very nearly the same as that according to the death-rate 

 from bronchitis ; whilst the order of the months, according to the death-rate be- 



