L C H , 1921. MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW. 16s
A BBIEF REPLY.
In his note to which Dr. Richter refers, the writer was restricted by the editor to only a few lines. It was, of course, im ractichble to enter mto a discussion and only
1st. I am glad to see that Dr. Richter accepta, the
bacterial nature of colds in general. 2d. I do not find in his uotation from Anders any
ment primarily on an excess of moisture in the air we breathe;” and I have nowhere seen concrete evidence that cowon colds are associated with “cyclonic weather..” 3d. It is admitted that some persons are subject to harm from drafts; some persons have ha fever and rose
pational association with chemicals; and so on. But where do most people get their colds? The most recent and perha s best authority that I have seen is the Hand Book of ‘I%erapy, 6th edition, October, 1920, published by the American Medical Association. On page 224 i t says :
“Acute colds are always due to germs of some kind. A too dry-atmoe- phere, which ia the condition in so man houses M a y , may 80 mate or tong$ the noatrile as to allow the iLwt irritant-to came at first a simple mfhmmation of the mucow membrane, which congested area
may later pick up and harbor, or ceaae to kill, gemw. Outdoor air does not predispose to colds aa much aa indoor air, and persons whoae occu-
pation in indoors are more liable to have colds than those whose occupa- tion in outdoom * * . * It is quite probable that chilling of the sur-
faceof the body congests theinnerorgansand possibly themucousmem- brane of the BY pseeages. If the mucow membrane of the now ia con geeted, it more readily becomes inflamed. * * * Some persons can not be exped to a single draft on any part of the bod without an acute
myzastartbg. * * * Other emnswhodonotLvethiamepti- bilit may become chilled, mayge subjected to violent, cold, damp
A, and may even get wet and still never develop a d inflammk
tion.”
For recent experimental work see J0u.r. A. M. A.; 75:
1500 E and note on another page of this magazine.- John R. Weeks.
8 few wo A need be said now.
statement that a common co 1 d “depends for its develop-
colds; s o w persons have acute rhinitis ir ecause of occu-
NOTE ON SOME EFFECTS OF WEATHER CHANQES ON
DISEASE.
The conditions of the vasomotor nerves of the skin and of the blood supply to the ca illaries of the skin have
o ans and surfaces of the body and thus with disease
"%clings" and bacterial activity. Experimenta on ani- mals have recently demonstrated (1) that chilling of the body surface causes an anaemia of the mucous mem- branes of the nose and throat instead of a hyperemia as formerly supposed (2). Further, there is recent evidence (3) that “nerve impulses along vasomotor fibers may
pla upon the caliber not only of the arterioles but also
if the splanchic nerves on the two sides are cut the intes- tinal region becomes congested and the effect in this case is so great that the general arterial pressure falls to a ve low point. %e. cause of “weather pains” in persons with arthritis, “rheumatism,” fractures, amputated limbs, etc., has been a m stery. Dr. Pembcrton, of the Presb terian
ject % y the study of 400 cases of chronic arthritis under treatment in the Army (5). Arthritis is usually due to focal infection and is popular1 called “rheumatism.”
per se, in health as well as disease, is dznitely poor and quotes the researches of Nichols and Richaidson (6) also
to that’dect. It follows that further diminution of the
much to do with the amount o P blood that reaches otsher
of B e capillaries and venules.” Again, for example (4),
Hos ital, hladelphia, has thrown new light on t z e sub-
Dr. Pemberton states that the b 9 ood su ly of the joints,
blood supply to these parts by the action of weather conditions will cause an increase of rheumatic sensations and of bacterial activity in localities that are deplebd, such as joints, fractures, amputations, and the mucous membranes of nose and throat. Respiratory functions of the blood are also a factor (oxygen content, etc.), and Dr. Pemberton says:
It has long been known that chronic sufferers from this dieem! (arthrit.is) undergo exacerbations that seem to be sharply related to disturbances of the weather. This is 80 definitely true that certain
type8 of climate are recognizedly detrimental and others equally ‘advantageous in their influence on this disease. If disturbance in the respiratory functions of the hlood is a factor in the disease, it is almost axiomatic that wide fluctuations of the barometer and hiunidity would affect these C ~W , since the percentage eaturation of hemoglobin by oFygen is a function of t.he partial preseure of oxygen in the alveolar am.
Followin another line of investigation, E. G. Martin, of Stanfor d University (71, has found that the most obvious of the esternal factors that influence the daily work of factory employees are climatic, confirming in this respect the previous work of Ellsworth Huntington, of Yale University. I t appears (to uote the review in the Journal of the American Medic3 Association) that certain days are more favorable to high output. than others, and the infuenc.es that underlie the differences are such as to affect all workers in a single environment. Martin’s data, as well as Huntington’s and the studies of t,he New Pork Ventilation Commission, suggest that the temperature at which work is carried on is important. He shows that there is evidence that persistent ex osure to tem erature above 30 C. (86’ F.) ‘is unfavora g le to
cent appear to favor high strength showing. -John R. Weeks. References.
strengt K . Relative humidities between 70 and 80 per
(I ) Jour. A. If. A.: 75. p. 1500 E. (2; ?h WEA. REYII.:W, 48, 9; pp. 507. 508. (3! Jour. A. If. A.: 75. 26 (Dec. 45, 19!?0), p. 1784. (4) Howell, Physiology. 7th etl.. 1918. p. 61.7. (5, Jour. A . 31. A .: ‘75, ‘26 (Del.. 2-5, 1920). p (6) Nichols, E. H., and Richardson, F. i.* Jour. A. 31. A., 31.
176J-1765.
149. Rent.emher. 1909.
(7) h‘brtin, E. Ci., Pt.wngth Teats in Tiidustry, Pub. Health Rep.,
55, 1835 (Aug. 13,lVlO). ---
WEATHER AND DISEASE.
The article by Ih. Leonard Hill on “Atmospheric Environment and Health” that appeared in tahe MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW for December, 1920, is, in the main, of high standard, but I think that exception can be taken to the first sentence. It is an old thought that thine wild are free from cont ous disease and disease epi- demics, just as it is an o ?v d thought that night air, and even air in general, is a carrier of conta ion. The Ameri-
tion before the arriv 9 of civilization as well as now. Wild animals and wild plants now have c.ontagious dis- eases and doubtless always did have them. Bacteria of types now common are found in the oldest manuscripts, thousands of years old, embedded in the papyrus and clay, and in rocks of prehistoric times. Doubtless the cave dwellers of the glacial period were afRicted and the plants and animals. Bacteria are found deeply imbedded in the ice of newly ex osed arctic re ions.
Pathology, United States Department of Agriculture, believes that all plant families will ultimately be found to have. characteristic bacterial diseases, though we now know only some of those that are most common.
can Indian and the Es uimaux were su % ject to consump-
Dr. Erwin Smith, if wector of the k aboratory of Plant
166 MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW. MAWE, 1991
I believe that weather and climate had and still do have much to do with the prevalence and character of contagious diseases, in spite of the added mass effect of increaaed population and crowding, but our knowledge needs enlargement and consolidation.4ohn R. Weeks.
DISINFECTING ACTION OF SUN'S RAYS ON TUBERCLE BACILLI.
[Reprintad Irom Schwc&eria&er medizkiwhe WmhrmrCArtft Basel, Dec. 2,lWi), SO:
No. 49. Reviewed in Jowm! A . M. A., Jan. '23, h l , 76: No. 5.1
Bergen reports as the results of his extensive tests at Leysin that direct exposure of virulent tubercle bacilli to the sunlight, at an altitude of 1,360 meters, rendered them innocuous when injected into the peritoneum of
guinea pigs after an exposure of half an hour during the summer. An hour's ex osure was required for this during the spring and fa$ and a little lon er during the
that the share of ultraviolet rays in this action of tho sunlight has been much overestimated.
winter. His research has further convince f him, he says,
INFLUENCE OF TEMPERATURE ON THE NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM INFANTILE DIARRHEA AT PARIS.
By LOUIS BESSON.
[Abtrseted from Comprcs Redus, Parls Ad.. Feb. 14,1921, pp. 401-404.1
It is well known that infantile diarrhea is increasingly fatal with rise of temperature in summer. gives a quantitative determination of that relation, ased u on the data given in the Bulletin h6aornaduh-e de Sfkstique mu.nicapale of Pans. The meteorological data
are those recorded b the Montsouris observatory. It
with a mean temperature of 1 6 .5 O C. Below that tem- perature there is no apparent relation, but above, the
This gaper
was found that the e B ect of temperature begins to show
number of deaths increases rapid Eliminatin the
perature, the author gives the effect of mean tempera- tures lo, 3 O , 5 O , 7 O , and 9' above 16.5' and finds the number of deaths per hundred corresponding to be 6, 11,
20, 41, and 62, respectively. He deducos mathematical expressions by means of which the number of deaths can be calculated, and the figures calculated correspond- ing to those just given are 3, 10, 21, 38, and 63, respec- tivelv. Ex ressions are given for the calculation of the number of eatha for any week. Grou ing by years, .the
number of deaths for a 10-year perio were calculated with an. error of about 1 er cent. Other meteorological
relations, but the results were negative, indicatin that
mortality from this disease.-0. L. M.
deaths which would occur without t %' e influence o f tem-
f; c f
elements were tried wit K a view to discovering other
temperature is the only element having a direct e ff ect on
5 5 /.5 0 & (Qa) 265: 2)
EXCHANGE OF WIRELESS WEATHER REPORTS BY VESSELS.
The Weather Bureau recent1 received from Capt. P. W. Trott of the British tank S? S. Tasdwa, a weather report cove a the voy e of that vessel from Hong- kong to San%ancisco, Sarch 6-30, 1921. Embodied therein were weather reports received by wireless from other vessels. This report is of especial interest as showing the possi- bilities of the exchange of weather observations by v m l s a t sea, from which deductions can be made as to the loca- tion and movement of storm centers and the character of weather to follow.
It is not stated whether any attempt was made to chart the observations received by the Tascdwa. The report is published herewith in the hope that. it will serve to stimulate the officers of other ships to wlIect.and make use of such information-3'. G. T.