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6
Meteorological.
The following note is extracted from a letter appearing in "The Times"
of January 1st, 1935, by Mr. W. G. Cochran, of the Rothamsted Experimental
Station, Harpenden, Herts.
Mr. Cochran states that the weather of 1934 will be remembered chiefly
for the acute and prolonged lack of water in many parts of England.
The drought, considered to have started in November, 1932, continued
until December, 1934, when rain fell on no less than 28 days, giving a
rainfall for the month of 5.39 inches, over double the average of 2.59 inches
for that month. December, besides being a wet month, was also unusually
mild. March and September also gave more than the average
rainfall, whilst February was the driest month of the year. The total
rainfall for the year was 25.13 inches, as compared with an average of
28.56 inches.
With regard to sunshine, July with 275 hours stands the highest since
July, 1928. The last quarter of the year Mr. Cochran describes as being
somewhat gloomy, all three moiiths being distinctly less sunny than the
average. There were no extremes of heat or cold, the highest temperature
being on June 17th and July 8th with screen temperatures of 83.4
degrees F. and the coldest on January 24th with 22 degrees F.
Births.
The births registered in Westminster during 1934 numbered 1,609,
but of these the homes of 966 were in other districts, 3 were either
registered under the Legitimacy Act or were re-registrations, and have
therefore to be deducted from the total. There were, however, 526
children belonging to Westminster parents born in institutions outside
the City, and these must be added. This gives a net total of 1,166, which
is 67 more than the corresponding figure for 1933. The Birth Rate for
the City was 9-4, for London 13.2 and for England and AVales 14.8.
Women whose homes are outside the City continue, in increasing
numbers, to avail themselves of the facilities for confinement which the
large general hospitals in the City offer. The number in 1919 —mostly
women whose home address was within easy reach of the hospital,
although in some neighbouring borough—was only 98. This figure has
risen to 966 in 1934, and includes not only women from the various
metropolitan boroughs but also from the counties around London. Even
within the short period of fifteen years such a far-reaching change in
domestic life is noteworthy. It may be that in these days of small families
the coming of a baby is a much more portentous event than formerly.
This change must also be associated with a definite falling off in the
midwifery practice of general practitioners.