"East Jersey under the Proprietors" may be found a copy of "Scot's Model of the Government of the Province of East Jersey," printed at Edinburgh in 1685. It was published to induce emigration to America, and contains several letters written in 1683-5, by the early occupants of the provinces. In all their correspondence with their friends in England and Scotland they uniformly expressed their delight with the climate of the country and its salubrity. In 1683, Deputy-Governor Thomas Rudyard, writing of the changeable wind and weather, says: "Yet this Variation creates not cold, nor have we the tenth part of the cold as we have in England. I never had any since I came, and in the midst of Winter and Frosts could endure it with less cloaths than in England. * * * I never had better health nor my family." One correspondent says: "The air in this countrey is very wholesome, and although it alter suddenly, sometimes being one day hot and another cold, yet people are not so subject to catch cold or to be distempered by it as in our countrey of England." Another, writing from Elizabeth Town, in January, 1685, remarks that "the weather here is constantly clear; the sun rises and setts free of clouds. * * * We have at present sharp frosts and a good deal of snow; three dayes of vitrefying frosts this winter; had not its match for cold these 16 years by gone, as the Inhabitants do inform I reckon the winter to consist only of nights, for the Sun's appearance by day moderateth the cold and melts the Frost. I do not find the cold here to cause obstructions or coughs; the Air is ever transparent." us. * * * Charles Gordon, writing to his brother, Dr. John Gordon, says he is "not troubled with coughs and head-aikes, as in Edinburgh." He advises his brother not to come to East Jersey as a "Doctor of Medicine," for, with the exception of "some Agues, and some cutted legs and fingers, * * * there is little or no Imployment this way." Although it is possible to record further evidence of this sort, enough has been given to show that the climate has not materially changed since the first settlement of this province by the whites. The removal of forests and the upturning of soil doubtless have contributed to modification of the conditions of the climate. Without doubt, population, by its increase and density, has a deteriorating influence upon the healthfulness of communities. Still, the salubrity of our climate continues to be largely under human control. CLIMATOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS AND RECORDS.. In the study of disease it is important that records be preserved for comparison, not only with epidemics, but also with such other diseases as are recognized to be affected by changes of climate. What are known as the summer diseases of the digestive tract are not infrequently dependent not less upon barometrical than thermometrical changes. The varied kinds of pulmonary diseases are still more influenced by climate. It is always possible, by comparison of one part of the State with another, to discern great diversity of climate, and to no small extent a corresponding influence upon these diseases. The places selected for observation are nearly the same as before. They are intended to represent not only different localities in the State, but were chosen also with referénce to geological varieties. It is somewhat remarkable that no complete records are kept at any of the colleges of the State. The following are the observers for the past year : I. Newton, Miss E. Foster. IV. New Brunswick, P. V. Spader, Esq. VI. Vineland, C. H. Adams, M.D. VIII. Cape May Point, U. S. Signal Service. The tables of New York, Philadelphia and Easton are valuable for comparison. (377) METEOROLOGICAL SUMMARY OF VARIOUS STATIONS, FROM JULY 1ST, 1884, TO JULY 1ST, 1885. STATION, DENNIS LIBRARY, NEWTON, N. J. Latitude, 41° 2' 45' N.; Longitude, 2° 19' 48'' E. OBSERVER, MISS E. FOSTER. Altitude, 660 feet. May June. REMARKS.-July, 1884-Cold and wet. Barometer much below the mean. Scarlatina prevalent. August-Mean temperature 1.020 below the average. Rain-fall 2 6 inches in excess. Frost on the 25th. Earthquake shock on the 10th, after which the nights were cold and wet, with heavy dews. Foul odors at night. Diarrheal diseases and much dysentery developed. September-Very hot and dry. Remarkable for the absence of cloudy days. Dews frequent and very heavy. Dysentery and diphtheria prevalent. October-Had wide range of temperature. Rains were equally distributed. Diphtheria prevalent and fatal. An increase of rheumatism noticed. November-Mild until the 18th, then the ground was frozen all day. Catarrhal disorders prevailed at the close of the month. Notwithstanding the exceedingly capricious weather of December and January, the winter of 1884-5 was very severe, with much snow in February. There was a marked absence of high winds. The mean temperature of January, 1885, was 3.120 above the average. The ground was bare of snow until the 24th. The month entered with no frost in the ground. No sickness developed until after the flooding of cellars, from the 16th to the 26th. February was continuously cold, one day only (28th) having a mean above 320. The severe cold checked the usual flow of water in cellars. There were 24 inches of snow on the ground at the end of the month. Children, particularly, suffered from tonsilitis, with constriction of bladder; whooping-cough, complicated with pneumonia, and an epidemic of mumps. One death from peritonitis. Rheumatism prevailed. A slight epidemic of sore eyes followed a season of cold, west winds. March was the coldest on record. The long continuance of winter into the spring month was enfeebling to many constitutions. Water-supply low. Pleurisy somewhat. Whooping-cough and mumps lingered. Spring, 1885-Mean temperature 3.210 lower than in 1884. Rain-fall was deficient. April, May and June had average warmth. June had low humidity. A sporadic case of measles occurred in the latter part of June. Otherwise the community was remarkably free of sickness. |