THE WEATHER, INFLUENZA, AND DISEASE. 605 



A similar chart was constructed for the epidemic of 1891-92, as the most repre- 

 sentative of the later outbreaks, the figures in the upper part being represented half the 

 scale of the other four. The percentages for the five epidemics are of course exactly 

 comparable. A glance at these charts shows that Influenza has not changed its character 

 or its ways from 1848 to the present time, and that the popular idea that the results 

 as at present experienced are much worse than they ever were in the good old days 

 when small-pox killed its thousands, and anti-diphtheritic toxin was unheard of, is not 

 borne out by the facts presented to you. 



Description of the Large Chart (Chart I.). 



The first chart represents in a graphic form all the data from which the foregoing 

 deductions were made. Each division represents a week, the years are separated by red 

 lines, and the quarters by similar but thinner lines. By an oversight, which was not 

 discovered until too late, two weeks were omitted in the chart for the last quarter of 

 1889 ; the numbers for these weeks have been ignored in drawing out the chart, but in 

 no case were they of any unusual significance. The first red line represents the actual 

 number of cases of Kespiratory disease admitted during each week, each division corre- 

 sponding to one admission. 



The curve immediately below is a representation of the respiratory cases, 

 " Bloxamed " to fives, i.e., the mean of each successive five weeks is entered for the 

 third or middle week of the period, above 1 5 being shaded in red, below it in blue. 



The actual number of cases of Influenza which occurred in the Infirmary are shown, 

 per week, by dark blue squares — each square, one case. 



Immediately below, blue shading indicates the cases of Influenza in the Post Office 

 — each square, two cases. 



As to the type of weather, blue shading of a square represents a week in which anti- 

 cyclones were prevalent ; red, one under cyclonic conditions. 



The temperature is shown in the following manner. Each square shaded blue 

 represents a week in which the maximum did not reach 60° ; shaded red, the maximum 

 exceeded that point. Solid blue squares indicate a minimum during the week of below 



to those found in the later. I have to thank Mr Mossman for the data from which the following table has 

 been constructed : — 







Type. 











Period. 



Cyclonic. 



Anti 



-Cyclonic. 



Mean 



Temperature. 



Mean Rainfall 



24 weeks before the four epidemics. 



16 





8 





45-68 



•31 



First 8 weeks of epidemics. 



6 





2 





41-59 



•47 



47 weeks during epidemics. 



29 





18 





42-72 



•45 



Last 8 weeks of epidemics. 



6 





2 





46-37 



•39 



16 weeks after epidemics. 



6 





10 





46-25 



■37 



But it must be noted that the epidemic of 1848-49 began during anti-cyclonic conditions, and when north and 

 east winds were unduly prevalent ; that of 1851 commenced during cyclonic weather of not a pronounced type, with 

 a small rainfall ; that of 1855 during cyclonic weather, in which north winds predominated ; and the epidemic of 

 1857-58 commenced immediately after or during the close of a very marked anti-cyclone of two weeks' duration. 



