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

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Kensington 1885

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington]

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92
neglect which would justify a verdict of "manslaughter;" equally
as in the case of the "peculiar people," who, whilst treating their
sick with care in other respects, refuse, on mistaken "conscientious"
grounds, to employ medical assistance, and who, as a
consequence of such refusal, death having ensued, have on several
occasions been found guilty of manslaughter.
METEOROLOGY.
The mean temperature of the air at Greenwich, in 1885, was
48°.6 Fahrenheit, or 0.7 below the averages of 40 years; the
means in the four quarters respectively were 40.3, 52.4, 59.1,
and 42.8. The highest reading by day (90.2) was registered in
the week ended August 1st, and the lowest reading by night
(22.8) in the week ended January 24th. The means of the
highest weekly readings by day, in the four quarters respectively,
were 60.5, 84.7, 90.2, and 59.9; and of the lowest readings by
night, 22.3, 29.9, 30.6, and 23.3. The hottest week in the year
was that which ended August 1st, (mean temperature, 65.2),
and the coldest week that which ended January 24th, (mean
temperature, 31.9). July was the hottest month, (mean temperature,
63.8); and January the coldest, (mean temperature,
36.6). September exhibited the greatest range in temperature,
viz., 45.8—from 76.4 to 30.6; and October the smallest range,
viz., 28.4—from 59.9 to 31.5. The dryness of the atmosphere,
i.e., the difference between the dew-point temperature and air
temperature, was 6.0, or 1.0 below the averages of 44 years.
Rain fell on 166 days, the total amount registered in the year
being 24.0 inches, 6 inches more than in 1884, but 1.28 less
than the averages of 71 years. Most rain fell in September, (3'73
inches), and least in July (0'50). The means of the readings
of the barometer were 29.754 inches; the means of December,
30.031, and of October, 29.530, being respectively highest and
lowest. The relative proportion of wind was: north, 64; east,
104; south, 83; and west, 114.