119 
ON THE RELATION EXISTING BETWEEN THE OCCURRENCE OF 
EXPLOSIONS IN COAL PITS, AND THE STATE OF THE 
BAROMETER AT, AND PRECEDING, THE TIME OF THE 
EXPLOSION. BY WILLIAM R. MILNER, ESQ., M.R.C.S., 
M.B.M.S., OF WAKEFIELD. 
The data on which, this paper was founded were a 
list of 79 fatal coal pit explosions, occurring in the 
years 1850 — 9, within the district inspected by Mr. Morton, 
and an unbroken series of observations of the barometer, 
taken at Wakefield Prison, and extending over the same 
period. 
The results have been embodied in two tables. The 
first table shows the differences of the barometer readings 
on the day of the explosion, as compared with the 
readings on 
1st. The day preceding the explosion. 
2nd. The day but one preceding the explosion. 
3rd. The mean height of the barometer during the month 
in which the explosion occurred. 
4th. The mean height of the barometer during the 
period of ten years over which the observations 
extend. 
The differences are grouped in tenths of inches. The 
explosions are arranged in two columns for each class of 
comparisons ; the first column of each pair showing the 
number which occurred when the barometer on the day 
of explosion was lower than at the period with which 
the comparison was made, and the second the number 
occurring when the barometer was higher on the day of 
explosion. 
The general result was that of 79 explosions, 59 took place 
when the barometer was lower than it had been 24 hours 
previously, and 20 when it was higher. Sixty when the 
