View report page

7
to omit it also in the last year. Even after making this addition for
1856, and not making a similar correction for other years, the mortality
would contrast very favourably with the immediately preceding
years.
The health of the inmates has been very much improved by the
increased space allowed them since the removal of the children to the
country and the opening of the new building for casuals.
The removal of the Kitchen and Laundries from the body of the
house will be of the utmost service. I am also very glad to hear
that the Directors have decided on .building, so as to give increased
accommodation to the Lying-in and Lunatic departments. There
is nothing of so much importance to the health of a large establishment
as an ample supply of fresh air. Money expended on furnishing
it, either by enlarging a building or by improving its ventilation, is,
although a heavy tax at first, in my opinion, money well invested,
and will save much more than is expended, by improving the health
of the inmates, by expediting the recovery of the convalescent, and
thus shortening the period of their maintenance by the parish, by
rendering stimulants, such as wine and spirits, much less necessary,
and in a number of other ways.
METEOROLOGY.
On this subject I am not able to give you any original information,
not having been furnished with the necessary instruments for
making observations.
The variations of the weather exercise of course a very great
influence on public health; some of these changes are readily measured
by the thermometer, barometer, rain gauge, and anemometer, and
their influence has long been recognized.
The amount of Ozone in the atmosphere is believed to have very
important bearings upon health, but observations with regard to
it have not been sufficiently long made to allow of any positive
deductions.
As I have no records of the meteorology of St. Pancras, it may
be well to give a little information of that observed at the Royal
Observatory at Greenwich during last year as compared with other
years. During the first or Winter quarter, for 8 weeks the temperatare
was above the average, and for 5 weeks it was below; during
the second quarter, 6 weeks were warmer and 7 weeks colder than
usual; during the third quarter, 6 weeks were warmer and 7 colder;
during the fourth quarter, 6 were warmer and 7 colder than usual.