London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
City of London 1865
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London, City of ]
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16
superintendence of the Engineer, Mr. Haywood,
and they indicate a somewhat remarkable condition
of weather; for although the mean temperature of
the air (53 degrees Fahrenheit) has been greater
than the average for the last eight years (50.7
degrees), and the mean humidity of it (74) has been
less than usual (80), yet there has been an excessively
large amount of rain. During the preceding
eight years the average rain-fall in the City has
been 22.41 inches per annum, and the number of
wet days has been 158, but last year the rain-fall
was 33.68 inches, and there were 197 wet days.
This excess of rain was very general throughout
the four quarters of the year, as may be seen from
the following Table:—
| Quarter ending December 1865. | Quarter ending March 1866. | Quarter ending June 1866. | Quarter ending Sept. 1866. | Entire Year. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Rain-fall (inches) | 8.56 | 9.60 | 7.42 | 8.10 | 33.68 |
| Average of 8 years | 5.83 | 4.35 | 5.88 | 6.35 | 22.41 |
| Number of Wet Days | 61 | 50 | 41 | 55 | 197 |
| Average of 8 years | 39 | 38 | 41 | 40 | 158 |
| Humidity (degrees) | 83 | 81 | 68 | 66 | 74 |
| Average of 8 years | 84 | 85 | 76 | 76 | 80 |
| Mean Temperature | 47.3 | 43.5 | 56.6 | 64.8 | 53.4 |
| Average of 8 years | 47.8 | 41.1 | 64.1 | 60.0 | 50.7 |
The highest temperature during the year was on