London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Paddington 1908

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]

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2 meteorology.
The well-known fact that the number of empty houses in the Borough has increased
considerably during the past three or four years suggests that the estimate given above is too
high. Differences between the systems of rating and of terminology in census work as
regards the meaning of "inhabited house," render a check by means of the rate-books
impracticable. A comparison of the estimated increase (the difference between the estimated
and enumerated populations), with the natural increment (the excess of births over deaths),
favours the view that the estimate given above is somewhat nearer the truth than might be
expected. At the Census of 1901 the population of the Borough was 143,976 persons, and
last year's estimate (150,489) represents an estimated increase of 6,513 persons, whereas the
natural increment during the interval between April, 1901, and June 30th of last year, was
8,784 persons, over 2,000 above the estimated increase.
METEOROLOGY.
An abstract of the principal elements for the past five years is given in Table 1, based on
observations taken at the Botanical Gardens, Regent's Park, as published in The Times.

TABLE 1. Meteorological Elements.

Means at 9 a.m.Extreme Temperatures.Rain.Sunshine.
Barometer reduced to sea levelThermometer.Shade.Max. in Sun.Min. on Grass.Depth of, Inches.No. of Days.Number of Hours.Number of Days.
Dry Bulb.Wet Bulb.Maximum.Minimum.
f.°f.°f.°f.°f.°f.°h.m.
1908.Totals---------24.491731,46148285
Means30.0150.446.5----------
Highest---85.0July--128.0-----
Lowest-----16.5Dec.-11.0----
1907.Total---------23.861771,30407280
Means29.9649.546.2----------
Highest---80.0May--122.0-----
Lowest-----22.0Jan.-17.0----
1906.Total---------24.421451,58012292
Means29.9951.147.6----------
Highest---94.0Sept.--128.0-----
Lowest-----20.0Dec.-150----
1905.Total---------23.351511,34459270
Means29.9650.046.9----------
Highest---86.3July--135.0-----
Lowest-----22.0Jan.-15.0----
1904.Totals---------21.061571,28252245
Means29.9750.346.2----------
Highest---89.2Aug.--130.5-----
Lowest-----25.0Nov.-12.0----

The barometric mean (30.01 in.) is the highest recorded during the five years,
the minimum temperature (16.5°) the lowest and the total rainfall (24.49 in.) the
maximum for the period. The mean difference between the wet and dry bulb thermometers
(3.9°) is within 0.2° of the mean for 1904, the maximum difference during the five years. In
the latter year 21.06 in. of rain fell, on 157 days, as compared with 24.49 in. on 173 days
during last year. The maximum temperature (85.9°) is, with the exception of the
record for 1907 (80.0°), the lowest of the series. The number of hours of bright sunshine