Report by the Central Board of Health of Jamaica / presented to the legislature under the provisions of the 14th Vic. chap. 60, and printed by order of the Assembly.

  • Jamaica. Central Board of Health
Date:
1852
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report by the Central Board of Health of Jamaica / presented to the legislature under the provisions of the 14th Vic. chap. 60, and printed by order of the Assembly. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by King’s College London. The original may be consulted at King’s College London.

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    tiire that exists on the surface of the earth, is rapidly vapourized and taken up. After a time, the clouds be^^in to accumulate on the mountain tops, and fall in .sudden heavy showers^ accompanied wiih vivid tlashes of lightniug and rolling, peals of thunder;: firadually dense dark masses of clouds-baiii. up to the soutlivvard, and rapidly pass round to the west;- at regular periods of the day they suddenly descend like torrents from on high, accompanied vvitlr tremen- dous peals of thunder. These showers cease and re- cur; sometimes they last for hours, alternating, with gleams and bursts of sunshine- Thi^ periodical and diurnal fall of rain in the case of the May seasons, is ct)nrinued for a space of fi'om ten days to three weeks. As regards the October or Autumnal rains,, these are also preceded by great heat and closeness of the at- mosphere, continuing day and night. Now, however, the horizon thickens with heavy clouds, the whole- face of nature appears downcast and troubled, a fear- full stillness reigns, the electric discharge occurs, and down the deluge comes; the rain descends in; sheets, inundating, in a few minutes, the whole country^ and souietimes continues with little or no intermission for days and nights. These falls of rain are some- times accompanied with sudden violent gusts or squalls of wind. After a variable duration, the show- ers become less heavy and less frequent;—the sun ])ursts out in all his glory ;—the north east wind, or regular trade breeze, blows fresher and stronger ;--the atmosphere becomes cool and balmy, and the whole of nature seems roused from a state of torpor. The annual fall of rain is sometimes reckoned at fifty inches. At New Castle the fall has been found to be about sevfinty inches. Generally refreshing rains fall during the montlis of July, August, and De- cember, in the latter month about Christmas. The trade wind, or sea IVreeze, usually sets in be- tween (he hours of eight and ten o'clock m the morrr- ings, increases as the sun approaches the meridian, and gradually declines or dies away as he advaiicej