New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-12
UF1THER And EPIDEMIC INFLTI

~ 4
Sir Arthur Mitchell and the eminent meteorolo
oist Dr. Buchan have been looking over the
health and weather records Of London, with a
view 10 learning something If possible, about
the rnystcrors epidemic which visited Europe and
America n few months ago. The results OF this
inquiry were embodied in paper read before the
Scottish Meteorological Society five or SIN weeks
aoo and a summary thereof Is given IN Nature.
In the last foriy-sX years five instances have ncen
found in which influenza VAS seriously prevalent
in the British capital Once the epidemic SET IN
~, carly i'm the winter rs November, and once 1t
fingered as late as May; but, generally speak
inc all five appearances were in late winter or
carly spring In that the influenza came at the
season when the lowest temperatures are usually
looked for the malndy rescmbcd other respiratory
diseases but, curiously enough unlike those all
mcnts. the epidemic influenza did RS worst WORK
in periods not exceptionally cold ms last WINTER
for instance, was in Great Britain and other paris
Of Europe as it Was in the nited states very
mild season. Again, when the climax Of lnc
endemic had been passed, no hriei sudden c"H'
,ycother even temporarily interrupted the down
ward course ~ the mortality figures. All oil "hch
makes one doubt il temperature had "hS'h1h-
whatever 70 do with this curious VISITATION lhis
Doubt Is STRENGTHENED and the suspicion tha' SOME
thing exceptional az work Is excited, nv 'he'c
other facts During four weeks OF last Hhua'S'
when the endemic was at lis height IN Loh"Vh'
,,,,o ,.,s am cycess Of 2e5s deaths above the
normal rate IF which, however, 0nN $40 WIZ
ro,o,t.j as dine ~ influenza the other $50 being
mostly assigned TO diseases Of the respiratory
o,,o,s and Of the circulatory and nervous NNs-
toms 70 ph,hi,is and TO rheumatism; and ihe
weather was not particularly favorable during
dos clO
ma ladies. ,,ioo.
49,. ~ ,c,ivitv If the air in conveying bacteria
r. hee, pndcrcstimatcd. has recently contribute"
>, 90 D,s Weitcr7 a paper on THIS snhlcct WIZ"
t,s bc.n translated for " The American M''e"io-
,.,i.,I rournalr May. After dwelling az lcnsth
r,.n fine uscfulncss Of rain and suo" III ch'Hs'h-
,lc air from dust and disease germs, ne quotes
data oht,incd at the German Naval ''se' '''"iH
a. show that an excessive dronth picN"'"" j"
rurope last November aud December, al nc '''"c
,.bcn tbe recent epidemic was conducting 10
.,r,nrc march from Siberia 10 the Atlantic ana
,,..a ., America Whereas the normal pre-
cnitations in different parts Of Europe Is between
on and 1870 millimcircs, the actual fall for 'h"S'
two months in ls-" was from = l."
Il milimetrcs; the cities Of Moscow -
Petersburg, Warsaw. Lcmbcrg, Vienna lt"S"''
Stock holm. kDcDlcsiFIu. ol'Ht"~'''' - ''''''
Npuich. Nardeburs. Brussels and Paris being used
a, the basis Of comparison Win We" - as
ccrta,ninc how nearly these facts were par'lleIcl
IA the British l.lcs. We have examined u"
records in "Symons Monthly Meteorological
N,oaziuc.~ and find that only one out 81 hitN
station, rcportcd a normal rainfall for November,
the deficit averaging about 80 or % per cent
while for December only eight ont Of NIFTY had
thc usual amount. But during january, while
,bc nl,err was at its height IN England, tie
urcc,p.tltion was excessive at all stations;
slightly confusing fact at FIRST blush, bnt not
necessarily 80 on consideration. In the United
S,.t.s according T. The Monthly Weather Re-
views of the Signal Service. December was very
dry over most OF the country the remarAahe
.c,ntincss Of rain or snow continuing, from New
ENGLAND 10 the Gulf States. all through January.
In thc main, therefore. DR.. AsSmans theory L.
rc.plorccd by the situation in the British Isles
and United States. even II il is not conclusvcN
demonstrated II in no wise conflicts with the
Gudings of Sir Arthur Mitchell and DR.. Buchon,
and nicely supplements them.