HH62/2/RENFRE/27

Transcription

[Page] 26

On the other hand Newton Mearns (4·7), Neilston landward (3·5),
Neilston village (3·1), Eaglesham Village (2·9), stand at a high
elevation, 500 to 700 feet above sea-level (as compared with,
probably, an average elevation of 50 to 60 feet for the first mentioned
districts), and have a naturally well-drained subsoil. Nor is it that
the population of the first series of localities has an age-distribution
which renders it less susceptible to the inroads of the disease;
consumption finds the bulk of its victims amongst the persons in the early
prime of life, and if any distinction can be made, it appears likely
that there is a larger proportion of persons at ages from 15 to 35 in
the first, or low-lying series of districts, than in those of the higher
elevation. While accepting it that too much must not be made of
the results of the analysis of comparatively small figures, it may safely
be stated that the experience of Renfrewshire over the ten years
1881-90 lends strength to the idea that the inception of phthisis is
not so much a question of soils and climate as is generally supposed,
and that occupation, habits of life, and, probably, dampness of dwell-
ings, are more efficient factors in the predisposition to phthisis. In
most of the districts in which the phthisical death-rate runs high, a
considerable number of the population are mill-hands. One fact, in
this relation, it is important to note, - that the sixteen sections which
have the highest mortality-rate from phthisis are all villages, with the
exception of Neilston landward, while most of the districts in which
the phthisis mortality-rate is low are landward districts. It appears
highly probable that the excessive death-rate from consumption in
some of the villages, may be explicable upon the hypothesis that a
large proportion of the young people, who have left their native
villages to seek occupation in some of the large towns, and who have
there contracted the disease, have returned home to die.
Of the 'Other tubercular diseases' it may be sufficient to say that
the experience of the ten years shows that they predominate where
insanitary conditions abound, and that the excess is practically
confined to villages. Erskine landward and Renfrew landward have
actually had no deaths from any of these diseases during the decenium.
With respect to the mortality from Respiratory diseases (diseases of
the lungs other than phthisis), the maleficent influence of low eleva-
tion and dampness of soil are tolerably apparent, the villages of the
plain, Blackstoun, Clippens, Inkermann, and Linwood, all standing
high on the list. All the sixteen sections at the head of the list are
villatic, while of the sixteen districts having the lowest death-rate

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from respiratory diseases, all are purely landward, with the exceptions
of Langbank, Bishopton, and Yoker, each of which, strangely enough,
lies near the Clyde. These figures show pretty conclusively that the
repeated wettings and constant exposure to the weather, to which
our agricultural population are subject, do not lead to a fatal
prevalence of respiratory diseases amongst them. The death-rate at
Blackstoun is so abnormally high, 6·4, that I am inclined to believe
that it is partly made up of cases of respiratory disease following
upon measles, which would have been certified as due to measles had
there been a doctor in attendance.

THE METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS OF 1891.

For the purposes of a general review of the average climatology of
the County, the observations taken at the Paisley Observatory fur-
nish a moderately good basis, Paisley being centrally situated, and
the Observatory being at a fair elevation. An ideal County Observa-
tory would find its site in the neighbourhood of the Stanley Reser-
voirs, which, being away from the local influences of the town, and
at a greater altitude, would furnish observations more nearly ap-
proaching a mean for the County than those taken at the Coats
Observatory. Of course, according to the view formerly expressed,
no fewer than three meteorological stations would be required
adequately to elucidate the climatology of the County. I have ab-
stracted and abridged the meteorological observations taken at the
Paisley Observatory, and the Greenock Water Works station, over
the year 1891, and have given the results of the first-mentioned
series in Table VIII. of the Appendix. The principal characteristic
of the meteorology of the year was, probably, the diminished rain-
fall over the first seven months of the year; of the total rainfall at
Paisley, 38 inches (which appears to be, approximately, an average
rainfall there), only 11·4 inches fell in the course of the first seven
months, while there was a yield of 26·6 inches in the succeeding five
months - altogether a most unsatisfactory distribution of moisture
from the agricultural point of view. The rainfall at the supra-
Greenock Station was similarly distributed over the year, but
amounted to no less than 60·8 inches, Greenock being thus true to its
past reputation. I have no doubt, however, that observations taken
at a greater altitude would show a still higher rainfall. 'Rain fell'
upon 189 days at Paisley, and 213 at Greenock; but as every day