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

similar circumstances. The proper
ton of talitY,continued large for the
first decennial period of life-the same
affections Of children noted last month,
| especially whooping cough, still pre-
vailed. This latter disease, which pre-
dominated, can scarcely be regarded OF
itself fatal malady-no specific and
constant anatomical lesion having as
yet been assigned to it.
The deaths, therefore. set down to this
disease were attributable to some one OF
the many distinct inf1ammatory affec-
tions of which it is the pathological
cause OF these, laryingitis. bronchitis
and pneumonia are most frequently met
with in the early, and hydrocephalus,
dilitations of the bronchial tubes and
emphysema Of the lungs in the latter
stages. A vigilant attention to the de-
velopment Of these complications was
therefore best calculated to prevent a
fatal termination.
NOVEMBER.
During this month accounts OF
storms, rain, snow and other meteoro-
logical phenomena reached us from
every part Of the State. In the south
ern part of the State the setting in OF
the rains seems to have been attended
by disasters of somewhat novel char
acter. A shower of sand swept over Los
Angeles, completely destroying the
grass on the pasture lands. Along the
northern coast very stormy Weathea
was experienced about the 23d. The
fall of the leaf of the peach, fig, apple
and pear occurred between the lst ana
the 9TH. The mornings of the 2lth ana
30th were unusually cold for the season
The water in the leaden pipes froze in
exposed parts of the city, and zee
formed Of considerable thickness. The
temperature of the river fell to 40 de-
grees, while that Of we'll water read %
degrees. The temperature OF the arte-
sian well at IS feet, where the work has
been arrested, stood at $3.50 degrees.
| Scarlet fever, which has prevailed
more or less all the summer, assumed,
in few instances, a degree Of intensity
that proved fatal in two instances.
These cases were rather of the angl-
nose than malignant form. The total
mortality of the month, however,
amounted only to % by all diseases.
DECEMBER.
This month was rendered remarka bic
for the unprecedented persistence OF
continuous cold weather and the num-
Der of cloudy days, much beyond the
average of the last four years. TheIe
were but two whole days entirely clear.
Notwithstanding this long continuance
of unsettled weather. the barometer
uniformly maintained an unusual hlgh
range in consequence of the prevalence
of nerthwardly winds. The readings
of its extraordinary maxima were made
and recorded after being reduced to the
freezing point on the evening OF the
10Th and morning Of the 10Th, While
the wind was fresh from the N.N.W.,
and the temperature ranged from ~ to
10 degrees. It's diurnal mean fell only
five times below 80 inches. The mini
mum was recorded on the evening OF
the Doth, preceding the southeast
storm, which was general throughout
the State. On the same day it showed
at San Francisco.
AS an evidence of the severity of the
winter, the Coast Range presented on
the Both the uncommon appearance of
being covered with snow. We had COM
paratively very few fogs or mists. The
only fog that happened during the day
occurred on the morning of the 18th,
-
wind from southwto north, and lasted
from 9,to II a. m. The river was not
much affected by the rains that fell,
and which remained at its sources in
the form of snow Its temperature,
however, sank to Al degrees, while we'll
water remained at 50 degrees.
Scarlitina and. whooping cough de-
clined considerably, both as to fire.
i,,{o In n
Another concohanant affection, how
ever, which has proved very fatal in
other parts of the. State prevailed to
some extent here, though in more
tractable form; perhaps because better
understood and properly treated at the
onset. We allude to the false membra-
nous, or diphtheritic inflammation OF
the throat The disease has exhibited
here the same tendency that has been
elsewhere observed to extend along the
mucous membrane of the throat into
the cavities of the nose, the ear, the
larynx, trachea, bronchial tubes, etc.
This extension takes place in many
cases almost Immediately upon the APP
pearance of the pseudo membranous
patches or pellicle in the. throat; III
other instances the respiratory organs
are sometimes not af1ected until later
in the progress of the disease.
Although it is not generally believed
by the profession that Group is in every
instance produced by the extension of
this peculiar inflanmatory process, still
we have reason to believe that it is
more frequently occasioned in this way
than is generally supposed. The causes
of this peculiar form Of disease have
not been well made out. 1t is met with
at all seasons, and in every variety OF
climate and locality. 1t has prevailed
epidemically in the low lands Of Hol-
land, and in the high and salubrious
countries of Spain and ITALY, as we'll as
in France and England. A somewhat
similar epidemic was witnessed in the
United States from the years 1913 to
1916. That it is, however. most fire.
quently met with during cold, wet and
damp seasons, and in low, humid and
marshy situations, is well established.
The total number of deaths amounted,
however, to only three, between the
ages of 1 and s. The remedy was hy-
drochloric acid topically applied.
METEOROLOGY.
Highest and lowest temperatures
rainfall and prevailing winds for each
month of the year 1866