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6 ture recorded at Atlanta (97.5°) is 2.6 degrees below that at St. Paul, Minn., (eleven degrees farther north,) while the extreme lowest at St. Paul is 38.5° below the minimum at At lanta. The yearly range of tempera ture at Atlanta, between the mean highest and lowest, is 84.4°, while at St. Paul it is 132.3°. El Paso, Texas, has an average of maximum temperature of 91 degrees for May; 100.7 June, 105.8 July, 98.4 August and 88.8 for September, or 4.4 higher for this autumn than is the average maximum temper ature of the three summer months at Atlanta. The following table gives the aver age highest and lowest temperatures and the range between them for sev eral stations where observations have been made by signal service observers; in no instance for a period of less than five consecutive years : * Stations. Summer Winter Range. Atlanta, Ga .. . " 94.7° 10.3° 84.4° New Orleans, La. 96.5° 23.8° 72.7° Saint Paul, Minn. 97.1° -35.2° 132.3° Los Angeles, Cal. 97.1° 32.0° 65.1° Chicago, 11l 98.3° —15.2° 113.5° Boston, Mass.... 98.6°—J 0.2° 120.3° Denver, C 010.... 102.1° —26.1° 128.2° Cincinnati, 0.... 100.8° —4.l° 104.9° Charleston, S. C. . 100.5° 21.1° 89.4° Jacksonville, Fla. 104.5° 24.1° 80.4° *The dash before figures signifies below zero. The summer climate of Atlanta has heretofore attracted many visitors from the cities in the low lands. The following table of the mean seasonal temperature at several cities in southern States is presented for con sideration : t- g b£ J § £ G E S *» ? 74 5 CITIES. -E g 5 ; E £ ««g Atlanta, Ga. 61.3 76.9 61.9 46.4 61 8 67.0 Memphis, Tenn. 61.4 79.5 60.6 42.8 61.1 68.0 Montgomery, Ala 65.3 8.98 65.2 50.4 65.6 68.8 Mobile, Ala 67.2 81.4 67.6 52.6 67.1 74.6 Savannah, Ga 66.5 81.3 66.8 52.7 67.9 71.6 New Orleans, La 68.9 81.9 69.7 55.9 69.2 71.2 In Wood’s Reference Hand Book of the medical sciences (a master-piece of book-making, valuable to intelli gent laymen and necesary to well-read physicians,) Dr. Huntington Richards thus refers to the influence of daily range of temperature: “The importance to the invalid of this feature of climate cannot be over estimated, and many untoward results and accidents are frequently attributa ble to its neglect. * * * * For most persons a variability indi cated by an average nycthermal [from day to night] range of about 10 or 15 degrees Farenheit may be considered as conducive to health.” The diurnal changes at Atlanta are a fraction above the maximum limit alluded to by Dr. Richards. But no climate combines all of the good char acteristics of a perfect climate. Nor is such probably to be found on earth. Still, the writer believes it is more near ly approximated at Atlanta than any where else in our country of change ableness of seasonal temperature. DAILY RANGE OF TEMPERATURE AT SEV ERAL SIGNAL SERVICE STATIONS. STATIONS. Spring Su’mer Autumn Wint e Atlanta. Ga IM 5 15?7° Saint Paul, Minn. 21.3° 19.7° 18.5° 19.7° Denver, Col 23.2° 24.4 24.7 22.0 El Paso, Tex 32.6° 32.4° 27.6° 26.3° Loa Angeles, Cai. 28.2° 25.1° 21.7° 21.8 In this connection, Dr. Richards is again quoted: “Thus Denver at 5,200 feet altitude shews an average daily range of 30°* F., and even with this difference dew *From the only data obtainable by. the writer, the mean diurnal range is as given in the foregoing table. but seldom forms. Though this latter fact will indicate a low relative hu midity of the air, there can be but lit tle doubt such extreme and sudden changes must affect persons other than the most robust.” RELATIVE HUMIDITY. Dr. Richards says : “It becomes a matter for careful study to determine wherein lies the happy mean between dry climates, with great daily range, and moist climates, with small daily range of temperature. In a general way, it may be said that between the two extremes lie the conditions most favorable to health. Alexander H. Stephens once said, (while watering his horse, near where the Union Depot now stands, when At lanta had but a few hundred inhabi tants.) “This is the healthiest spot on earth.” To-day there stands a large city on the spot referred to, with an annual i death-rate among the whites of only ; 13 per thousand. This is the more re markable in view of the fact that the region of country having the smallest 1 number of deaths among the whites in the United States, according to the census of 1880, has a ratio of 11.25 i per thousand. The death rate among the whites in the North Atlantic Coast Region (U. S. Census Divison,) ex- 1 tending from New York to Washing ton, D. C., is 20.5 per thousand. Moisture, when associated with cold, i is trying to others than the most ro bust, by season of exhausting the bod ily heat. Excessive humidity, when associated with warmth, is on the oth er hand, relaxing to the system en feebled by disease, and enervating to all. Atlanta has a mean winter tem perature of 46.4°, with an average relative humidity of 68.8 (four years observation,) while Saint Paul, Minn., has mean winter temperature of 17.4°, with an average humidity of 72.3°, or a trifle less humidity than has Jack sonville, Florida, (72.6) with its high mean winter temperature of 56.6°. Newport, R. 1., has recently become a claimant for public favor as a winter resort for Consumptives. The Census shows that the death rate from Con sumption is 246 per 100,000 for the state, as a whole; 207 in Newport county; 202 in the state, excluding the city of Providence and Newport coun ty. A region, having as large a ratio of deaths from Consumption as is shown by the above figures, cannot ap pear to an unprejudiced mind to be a highly favored region for recovery from the disease. In support of the advocates of cold moist stations, the Valley of Daros, Switzerland, has been growing in favor among European physicians, up to last reports, as a winter resort for consump tives. There the relative humidity is 84.4 for five months of the year, in cluding the three winter months. How ever, the Valley of Daros is at an eleva tion of over 5,000 feet above Atlantic City, with a mean winter temperature of 20°. Such a combination of climatic conditions must be trying to the pul monary invalid. The Gulf and Pacific coast resorts are often unwisely chosen by persons of low vitality (as are their opposites, (the cold northern stations,) when a moderately invigorating climate would have been preferable. Surgeon G. K. Wood, of the U. S. army, says that, “the injurious effects of sending consumptives to the hot, low and moist coast, and the islands of the Gulf of Mexico should be aban doned. In diseases of debility, the remedies are tonics and stimulants. What is more debilitating than affec tions of the lungs ? And what less ton ic than heat and moisture combined ?” THE KENNESAW GAZETTE. If a physician desires to promote suppuration in an inflamed part he ap plies heat and moisture in the shape of a poultice. May not (and the wri ter puts the question to conscientious physicians on the Gulf coast,) heat and moisture combined, promote sup puration in a diseased lung? Relative humidity ot various signal service stations: STATIONS. Winter. Year. Denver, CoJ 54.0 4a.0 j Los Angeles, Cal. 63.5 67.0 Atlanta, Ga 68.8 67.0 San Antonio, Tex. 69.9 67.6 Saint Paul, Minn. 72.3 60.0 Jacksonville, Fla. 72-6 71.0 Atlantic City, NJ. 79.2 79.4 Note. —Relative humidity is the degree of moisture below 100, which is complete saturation. RAINFALL. “The total amount of rain falling at any place during the course of a year, a season or a month is of less impor tance * * * than is the distribution of such rain.” — Dr. Rich ards. The rainfall at Atlanta is variously recorded at 54.36 inches by the ob server at the United States signal ser vice office, four years observations, 48.99 by Col. R. J. Redding, assistant commissioner of agriculture, and 46.83 by the post surgeons at McPherson Barracks. The measurements of the signal officer are taken in the heart of the city; by Col. Redding one mile west of there, and by the United States surgeons two miles south-west. That there may be discrepancies in re ports from two neighborhoods is shown by the report of the Chief Signal offi cer, U. S A. for 1884. At two sta tions (one volunteer,) one in Wash ington, D. C., the other at the Receiv ing Reservoir across the Potomac river there was a difference of 1.64 inches, i There was a difference of 3.57 inches between the measurements at the sig nal office, in Cincinnati and on Col lege Hill, three miles out. In both instances, the excess was in the city. J Observations continued in this line might develop the fact that there are conditions existing which produce greater rainfall in cities than in subur ban places. As “one swallow does not make a summer” neither will two facts prove a rule. An analysis of the rainfall for the years 1882-’B3-’B4 and ’BS shows that there fell during the four years 218.46 inches of rain. 157.83 inches fell dur ing 54 days. The hours composing these days were distributed through j every month of the years excepting three. During these three months no heavy rains fell. To make it plain the rainfall and time are put in form of a table below: Years, f Total of Total hours Total Total 1882 heavy rain of heavy rain days rain 1883 ■ in inches, fall in days. fall. 1884 1885 157.83. 54.00 1450 218.46 Fifty per cent, of the rain fell after 6 p. m. and it was clear before 8. a. m. It rained continuously for twenty four hours but twelve times during the four years. The longest single period when rain fell was forty hours, in 1885. The longest “rainy spell” was for twenty-one days, in January 1885, with one intermission of three days, and another of four. The writer knows from observation at various health resorts —Rocky Mountain and Appalachian —that persons who leave home in search of health, having that object alone in view, are prone to look only for verifi cation of what good features of climate they have read of as existing where they may go. Now, .there are some disagreeable days in winter, as there are every where/from Key West to Mackinac, which may weary the invalid. Still, it is repeated, they are as few as are to be found elsewhere in our country of changeableness of weather. The topography of Atlanta is such that the surface drainage is perfect in all directions. There are no swamps, ponds or lakes near the city. The nearest river is six miles distant. So, there is nothing to breed malaria FOGS. During 1884 and ’BS there were but three foggy days, and one foggy morn ing which cleared early. CLOUDINESS. Sir W. Temple thought that the best climate where he could be abroad in the air with pleasure, or at least without inconvenience, the most days of the year and the most hours of the day. In this connection arises a considera tion of the clear and fair days. They numbered 270 on a yearly average, for a period of seven consecutive years. In comparison with Denver, in “cloudless Colorado,” Atlanta stands well. In a scale of 0 to 10 Denver has a proportion ot 3.77 to Atlanta s 4.25 or only 0.48 less than Atlanta has. A comparison of the cloudiness m Atlanta with that of Saint Paul, Minn., is given below. Table of cloudiness by seasons for the year. £ « u bp g £ q CITIES. I E | .g e 02 Qi Saint Paul, Minn 5.10 4,50 5.20 4.90 492 Atlanta, Gft 4.40 4.20 3.60 4.80 4.25 The observations at Atlanta were for three consecutive years. WIND. Dr. C. T. Williams, of England, in his Lettsomian Lectures, upon “The Influence of Climate in the Treatment of Pulmonary Consumption” says: — “A bracing though somewhat gusty climate avails more than a mild, still and somewhat relaxing one, and in stead of seeking for a sedative atmo sphere to allay the cough and reduce irritability, we should in most cases se lect a stimulating one to increase the appetite, and to invigorate the system of our patients.” He also asserts that “neither excessive humidity nor dry ness of air are [is] favorable.” While Atlanta has almost daily breezes, it has no high winds. It is | out of the cyclone zone. January and February have some gusty, and, disa ! greeable days, however, they are so few as not to prove trying to invalids. A person who cannot endure such had better remain at home, as his life could only be prolonged anywhere. Sixty-five per cent, of the wind comes sweeping over the rugged coun try of northern Alabama, East Ten nessee, N. W., N. E. and North Georgia and North-West South Caro lina. In passing over these heavily timbered, hilly and mountainous re gions, they are sponged of their moist ure, and come dry, purified and invig orating to the system. Ten months of the year are, on the average, unsurpassed for pleasantness of weather. In fact, barring some days in January and February, At lanta has as uniformly fine a climate as is to be found elsewhere on earth. A distinguished physician of Atlan ta, of inter-national reputation, recent ly remarked to the writer that, “after having sojourned in all parts of the world, with the exception bf Africa, he had never found a climate compar able to that of Atlanta for pleasant ness throughout the entire year.” Prof. W. A. Hammond, of New York,