The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-06-10

with in California is that which at
| tacks the conjunctival lining In some
cases, chiefly among children, it as
stunned the p,rulent form this month
| The fact that similar but severe dis
ease was spontaneously developed in
Egypt and Ireland among the English
troops leads to the inference that very
opposite climates are capable of produce
| ing the self-same disease. In Egypt
there is an adage that the fine sand
which is there suspended in the air can
get through an egg shell. The dust in
California, though almost reduced on
our roads to an inpalpable powder dur
ing the dry season, is not quite so PEN
etrating as this, but nevertheless proves
/ a great source Of irritation to a con-
junctiva already made sensitive by
the brilliancy of the cloudless sky which
prevails half the year.
| SEPTEMBER.
I This month was characterized by very
variable weather, and the occurrence of
several phen omena Of extraordinary
interest. On the 10th, at $50 O'Clock
p. m, we were suddenly visited with a
high wind from heavy bank Of clouds
| in the southwest horizon which at one
time presented indications of approach
| ing rain, but was intercepted by the
arid mountains and high lands Of Santa
Cruz, Alameda and San Francisco,
where the accompanying lightning and
thunder is reported to have been ex-
tremely violent. For several days pre-
vlous to the. equinox a regular declen-
sion OF atmospheric pressure was ex-
per1enced, attendant with stagnant,
sultry condition of the air. This was
succeeded by a sprinkling Of rain (the
first of the season in this locality at
daylinght on the Goth, when the lowest
reading of the barometer as above was
recorded. AS the sun entered Libra
however, the weather presented one OF
the most favorable speciments Of our
| autumMal climate-a fresh circulation
of air being kept up by southerly
breezes.
The most remarkable feature of the
month was the brilliant aerolite which
| appeared on the evening of the 18th,
at about O'Clock. AS it was seen SIM
UNANIMOUSLY in an area of several hum
dred miles. bounded by Red Bluff,
Iowa Hill, Stockton, San Francisco and
Santa Cruz, the proba bilities are that
at the time of its brief appearance it
was in the upper regions of our atmos-
phere, and that, judging from the in
terval that elapsed between its explo-
sion and the reaching of the report
here, which resembled distant thunder,
its distance then was between thirty
and thfrty-five miles.
| After comparing all the different ac-
counts that reached US, it would seem
that its course was on the southern side
of the zenith, from southeast to north
west, and that its relative position to
the point Of aspect here was, at
first, about 30 degrees above the
horizon and 20 degrees when it vanish
ed. When first seen it appeared but lit
| tie larger than Venus but as it ap-
preached the earth it Increased in size
as suddenly as it diminished again
just before bursting into brilliant cor
ruscations of light that reflected all
the prismatdc colors. The moon was
near the close of it's second quarter at
the time, and the atmosphere clear and
| transparent
The Sacramento River fell this month
to lower point than was ever before
observed. and we then esta blished the
zero of new river gauge. It's tenn
perature read 20 degrees, while that Of
we'll water was 60 degrees The tenn
perature in the artesian well at the
depth reached to date (65 feet) was
o9.5O degrees On the 9TH the barn
swallow was seen for the last time.
Notwithstanding the prevalence Of
whooping cough and scarlet fever, the
mortuary table gave a very low
| monthly aggregate, the best proof Of
the mildness of these diseases as well
as the healthfulness Of the climate. AS
has always been observed with these
epidemics, they here present varieties
which are at the same time grades of
int ensity; but for the most part the I'M
complicated and simple form was now
only met with, many cases being so
Slight that the patient continued on his
feet throughout the attack.
Although in this, as in other conn
tries, the subjects are generally chill
dren under the tenth year vet we did
not ind the proportion of deaths much
greater than usual in the first decen
nial period of life. Many persons Of
ripe years suffered, as always hap
pens whenever scarlet Nver prevails.
with sore throat, unaccompanded
With FEVER or ef1orescence, without sus-
pecting the real character Of their af-
fect1on. Presenting such habitudes. it
is matter of wonder as well as OF
graduation that scarIatina did not
prove more fatal, in consequence of i'm
prudent exposure or improper treat
ment.
OCTOBER.
This month was full of interest to
the meteorological observer On the 1st
the flight Of wild geese southwardly. a
certain harbinger of approaching win
ter, prepared US to expect the coming
rain. This much-desired occurrence
happened on five different days-the
7th. 10th, 18th, 10Th and 24th-and
though not amounting to much in uuan-
tity, was sufficient to indicate that the
atmospheric changes which character
ize the rainy season had set in. There
was heavy fog on the 18th, measuring
O.O02 inches by the rain gauge. The
weather was much cooler than usual
all over the State, and SHOWS CAPPED
the Sierra Nevada throughout it's whole
extent.
The first frost in this vicinity occur
red on the 10th, and ice formed on the
I'D at daylight. The effects of the rains
and SHOWS was sensibly demonstrated
in the Sacramento River, both GUAM
titatively and thermometrically. On
the 18th it rose suddenly ten inches.
and commenced falling iroroad;a to1xy q .