Evening star., 1939-12-07
Of Stors, Men
And Atoms
Notebook Of Science Progress
In Field, Laboratory
And Study t5Stl

s>0soS0OVN -
In Field, Laboratory
And Study t;g{.
BY Thomas r. Hen,y.,
Possibility that another great drought
is developing over almost the entire
United States between the Appalachians
and the Rockies is seen in the report Of
DR.. J. B. Kincer, chief Of the climatologi-
cal division of the United States Weather
Bureau, that the months Of September,
October and November over all this area
were the dryest on record.
The weather pattern, Of course, may
change at any time. It has tendency,
however, to get worse before 1t gets
better and the present picture is quite
similar to that which preceded the
great 1880 drought over much the same
area.
November was outstandingly dry
everywhere east Of the Mississippi, ex-
cept locally in the Middle Atlantic area
and the extreme South. Rainfall gen.
orally was less than one-half normal,
and 1t was less than one-fourth normal
In considerable areas. The northern
States from Iowa and Minnesota west
ward to the Pacific had very little mois-
ture. Large sections of the northern
Great Plains and the northern Rocky
Mountains had no measurable moisture
during the entire month. A long record
at Minneapolis shows the driest No
vember in more than a century. For
the whole season rainfall was above
normal only in the far Southwest and
very locally In some Eastern States.
During the last few hours Of Novem-
Der there were moderate showers over a
large area from the eastern Plains to
the Atlantic, but they were suffcient
only to bring temporary relief to the
topsoil. Subsoil moisture is generally
deficient.
Says DR.. Kincer: while last winter
brought abundant moisture to most Sec
tions Of the country, the spring was
mostly dry, with abnormally high tenn
peratures, SO that deficient moisture be-
gan to be felt rather severely over wide
areas by the middle of May and another
severe summer drought threatened. But
the latter part Of May and June brought
good rains which relieved conditions
practically everywhere. and the summer
was mostly favorable for crop develop
ment, although a severe drought de-
veloped In the Northeastern States in
July. Near the close of the summer
there was another reaction to deficient
rainfall. and long period of dry weather
set In over large areas, most pronounced
in the interior valleys and the Great
Plains. The persistent dryness and alb
normally high temperatures depleted soil
moisture to an extent that conditions
became outstandingly unfavorable for
the seeding Of winter wheat. Seeding
was delayed and the soil was so dry
over large areas of the western wheat
belt that termination was impossible.
September was the driest of record over
q large interior area, and in this month
droughty conditions spread to the South
eastern States.
- ~
While no epidemic is predicted, in
fiuenza is getting q good start this win
ter. according to reports to the Public
Health Service.
An increase in this disease normally
Is expected at this time. During October
the cases reported rose from 1900 for the
preceding four weeks period to 1851.
The number actually was only about IS
per cent of the figure recorded for the
corresponding period of 1888, but 1t was
rs per cent above the five-year average.
In the South Atlantic region the in
cidence was about twice the average sea-
sonal incidence and in the Southwest
and Rocky Mountain regions the in
cidence was about so per cent above that
Of the past two years. Everywhere else
the incidence was rather low.
At the same time 1t was reported that
the minor epidemic of poliomyelitis this
year was definitely on the decline. The
number of cases dropped from 1874 dur
ing the four weeks ended October Z to
1853 for the four weeks ended No.
vember 4.
1T Is evident" says the Public Health
Service report, "that this outbreak has
not been confined to any one section of
the country but has been widespread,
appearing in one or more States In prac-
tically every section Of the country.
Previous epidemics have been more or
less confined to certain geographic areas.
''The minor outbreak of 1886 and 1887
occurred mostly in States in the South
Central regions, while in 1884 California
and other far Western States experienced
. more severe outbreak. The 1881, 1888
and 1885 the disease was epidemic in
States along the Atlantic Coast, and in
1880 the North Central and Western
regions were most affected by an out
break of epidemic proportions. There was
no epidemic during 1888 and the cases
reported for that year were the fewest
on record"
Measles, the Public Health reports in
dicate, seems to be having an off year
for most of the country, although real
epidemic seems to be underway in the
Pacific Coast States.
The death rate in cities from all causes,
the reports show, was 10.4 per 1000 in
habitants for the period. The average
rate in the corresponding period in the
proceeding five years was 1913.
Most contagious diseases, the reports