A meteorological journal : of the year 1793, kept in London / by William Bent. To which are added, observations on the diseases of each month in the city and suburbs.

  • William Bent
Date:
[1794]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A meteorological journal : of the year 1793, kept in London / by William Bent. To which are added, observations on the diseases of each month in the city and suburbs. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    EXPLANATION. THE Journal is kept on the fouth fide, and near the middle of Patep nofter row, which is 51 feet higher than the bed of the river Thames. The indruments ufed are, a perpendicular Barometer with an open ciftern, two Fahrenheit's Thermometers, and a De Luc's Hygrometer; the latter being a new-invented inilrument, it may be nece/Tary to mention that the point of extreme drynefs is o, and that of extreme moiilure lob. The Journal of each month is divided into nine columns, which contain as follow: 1. The Day of the month, with the letter N or F affixed to that on which the moon is new or fijll. 2. The Hour of obfervation, morning and afternoon. 3. The height of the Barometer, in inches and 100 parts: it is placed in a room on the ground floor. 4. The degrees of the Thermometer out of door, facing the north*. 5. The degrees of the Thermometer in the houfe, placed in a pafTage at tlie bottom of a flaircafe, where there is up fire-place. 6. The degrees of the Hygrometer, which is placed clofe to an outward door conftantly open in the daytime. 7. The degrees of Cloudiriefs; the fun being frequently obfcured v/ith 3, and feldom vifible' with 4; but when h is inferted, the atmofphere is fo hazy above, and when /, fo foggy below, that no diftindion of clouds is per- ceptible. 8. The point and force of the Wind; 3 being rather briffe, and 4 blowing flrong. 9. Further obfervations and intermediate alterations of the Weather; in which the period [.] and colon [:] are ufed to denote a fpace of time between any change, the latter being a diftinftion for midday and midnight. The Medical Obfervations are communicated by a Friend. * This inftniment appears to be about 5 degrees higher in the greateft cold of win- ter and heat of lummer, than a fimilar inftrument at a village fix miles weft from London ; but this is only to be conlidered of tranlient cold or heat, for on a conti- nuance of either the variation is trifling. The difference may be cav:fsd by tlie multi- tude and clofyiefs of buildings in the city, which pi events a free circulation of air, by the great number of fires in the hoi'fes in winter, and by refleftion of the fun's heat from fo many brick walls in fummer.