The influence of climate upon health and disease / by Sir Lauder Brunton.

  • Brunton, Thomas Lauder, Sir, 1844-1916.
Date:
[1905]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The influence of climate upon health and disease / by Sir Lauder Brunton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    of great interest also made by Weir Mitchell is that the curve showing the number of cases of chorea in his clinic in Philadelphia nearly coincided with the curve showing the number of storm centres which passed within a radius of about 450 miles of the city. It is probable that electrical conditions also influence the condition of the nerve centres in other respects, and exert an influence on so-called voluntary actions, but Dexter* thinks that barometric pressure is the most powerful factor in such action. According to him a low barometer is characterised by increase in crime, insanity, bad conduct, sickness, and suicide, whilst drunkenness is diminished and clerical errors by bank clerks are slightly fewer, attention either being increased or greater precautions taken to avoid them ; dryness of the air lessens intoxication and mental in- exactness, but increases all forms of active disorder and suicide. In cold months sickness, death, and drunkenness are more frequent; in summer crime and suicide. Hot weather tends to destroy the mental balance in females more than in males. Calms depress vitality and lessen crime, insanity, and bad conduct, but increase sickness, death, want of attention, and absences from school. The results of his researches have thus been summed up by Dr. IP. E. Mill.f “ Crimes of violence and bad conduct in school or in prison are due to excessive vitality imperfectly controlled, and their frequency is increased by whatever conditions of weather increase vitality ; while ill- ness, insanity, and death result from deficient vitality, and work greater havoc when depressing atmospheric conditions prevail.” Rainfall.—Closely connected with electrical conditions is the rainfall. This may be great, and yet the general humidity of the atmosphere may be comparatively small or the rainfall may be small and the humidity great. After a rainfall the moisture in the atmosphere is diminished, the air is washed clear of dust and germs, and generally men feel better and more comfortable. Thunder storms are said to “ clear the air,” and where they are frequent the climate is likely to be much more healthy than it would otherwise be. * Weather Influences, by E. G. Dexter, London and New \ork: Macmillan. f Symons’ Meteorological Magazine, vol xxxix, 1901, p. <25.