Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

A scale of weather values with graph showing daily sequence of the weather

C. F. Brooks and E. C. Donnelly

An arbitrary scale of human discomfort was made from the various combinations of 5 classes of temperatures, 3 of sunshine, 2 of wind and 3 of humidity, and with this the daily weather at Worcester for the past 3 months was plotted. The preponderance of comfortable days in September and October stood in marked contrast to the numerous uncomfortable days in November and December. There was a change from the best (moderate, bright, quiet and dry) on Nov. 8 to the worst (cold, dull, windy and damp) on the 9th.

Discussion. The question was raised as to whether Arizona weather could be shown on such a scale. The answer was that it could, and that it would show that most days, say, at Tucson, Ariz., would be more comfortable than many of those experienced in Worcester in winter and sum

mer.

Cave air versus torrid temperature (By title)
M. H. Crump

Lost River Cave is one of the hundreds of caves found in the region of subterranean drainage, which covers some 6000 square miles in southwestern Kentucky. It lies on the old Louisville and Nashville Pike constructed in the days of Henry Clay of Telford, made with a road-bed as good today as it was in 1837 when first laid. It is 3 miles SW. of Bowling Green in the direction of Nashville, some 70 miles distant, and has been known to the public since 1775 when the Long Hunters from Virginia first carved their names on the neighboring beeches which abound in this locality. Geologically it is of the Mammoth Cave (some 25 miles away) group of the St. Louis Limestone, probably St. Genevieve division.

Lost River lies at the bottom of a deep gorge or canyon-80 feet deep, 100 feet wide at the bottom and 400 feet at the top. The stream itself rises vertically from unknown depths. Forming an enormous spring of many thousand gallons per minute it flows rapidly for some 500 feet and disappears under an arch 125 feet wide and 30 feet high, which gently recedes to 10 feet at a distance of 125 feet. Thus there is a natural floor of at least 12,000 square feet, which is continuously fanned by a delightfully cooling breeze of 70 degrees, while the surrounding temperature may be lingering around 98 and occasionally 100. The river then disappears, after passing over a dam of 15 feet in height, into subterranean darkness and is thought to come to the light of day some miles away near the bank of Barren River. This everflowing stream is now being stocked by the Kentucky State Fisheries Commission. The fish will be carefully watched for any tendency toward disappearing in the darkness of the cave as evidently did the remote ancestors of the blind fish of Mammoth Cave.

The long continued spell of very hot weather last summer-the most oppressive ever-directed the attention of the writer to this great reservoir of delightfully refreshing and apparently hygenically pure air, for the purpose of commercially utilizing it. To this end experiments were made and are being continued for the determination of the temperature, humidity, purity and effect on the health of large bodies of persons assembled for dancing, roller-skating and various forms of amusement.

The first mention of this use of cave air that has come to the notice

of the writer is found in Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy. Later, some 30 years ago, a 6-inch hole was drilled in Grand Avenue Cave, 4 miles from the Mammoth Cave, and over it a four-room building was constructed. By means of a Sturtevant fan the temperature was reduced from 95 degrees to 70 in less than 30 minutes. This was done at the instance of some New York City physician, but the effort was abandoned without further pursuit along this line. The cave was very successfully used however, for the storage of Florida fruits. Later a most thorough effort was made at Limair by a ventilating engineer, who had devoted many years to the problem, to establish an institution that would combine the advantages of sunlight with an air supply at once voluminous and perfectly pure and delightfully cool. Dr. Hunner of Johns Hopkins visited this institution at Luray, Va., some years ago and reported as follows:

At my first visit, I saw demonstrated the remarkable volume in which the air enters and leaves each room without creating and appreciable draughts, and the fact that the air is practically free from atmospheric dust-the Tyndall experiment in a room reveals scarcely a particle of floating dustthe air is optically pure. Noting this fact I became interested in the bacteriological condition, and determined to visit Luray again, supplied with culture media and sterile plates. Later I came fitted out with 5 dozen sterile plates and 6 dozen tubes of agar-agar and spent 4 days in the cavern, sanitarium, and out of doors in the neighboring homes-my first day exposures were as follows:

1. In the Cavern-Three plates placed in vegetable garden, 50 yards from entrance; exposure 5 minutes and 1 hour, and the control plates were all negative. Three plates at 100 yards from entrance within cave: one plate exposed 5 minutes, 2 colonies; plate exposed 50 minutes, negative; control plate negative. Three plates 200 yards from entrance-5 minutes and 35 minutes, and control, all negative. Three plates at Cathedral room -300 yards from entrance-5 minutes, 30 minutes, and control; all negative.

2. In the air passage between cave and sanitarium-4 plates exposed 30 minutes. On none of the plates was there any growth.

3. In sanitarium-3 plates, for 5, 20 and 60 minutes in library, guest chamber and bed-room on second floor, in constant use. One colony on the 5-minute plate in this room, and 3 on the 60-minute plate in library were the only result of the 9 plates.

Practically the same results were obtained the second and third days, but in a physician's office in Luray 92 colonies appeared in one hour; in a well-to-do farmhouse, scrupulously clean, after 24 hours, 143 colonies appeared. A plate in a Madison Ave. car, New York City in a 25-minute trip from Lafayette Ave. to Broadway showed 1600 colonies after 36-hour incubation at 85 degrees. Sixty-five colonies appeared after exposure in the Johns Hopkins surgical operating rooms after 48 hours incubation at 100 degrees.

Dr. Hunner says that these comparative studies demonstrate that with optical purity or freedom from atmospheric dust, we have air that is practically free from bacteria. He further says:

In spite of this purity, I am sure many will protest against breathing the polluted, mouldy emanations from a source never penetrated by the rays of sunlight-this was my first impression, and the same impression has been expressed by many friends with whom I have conversed. But what are the facts and what is the condition of the cave air? First, it is not stagnant-but a decided current-by means of many natural filters, in the crevices filled by porous soil-both air and water are cleansed by these earth filters the action of water over such a vast surface of limestone cannot but be beneficial to the cavern's air. It would be trite to dwell on the advantages of lime as a purifier and disinfectant. We find no organic matter on the cave but beautiful, clean, limestone walls and draperies constantly

being corroded and reformed by the continuous action of myriads of water

courses.

Can we arrive at any other conclusion than that here we have the purest, and cleanest atmosphere that can be anywhere found? The temperature of the cave registers from 54 to 56 degrees F. and the relative humidity varies but a fraction from 87 per cent. In the hottest weather the temperature of the sanitarium ranges from 70 to 74 an dthe relative humidity is reduced to 70 per cent or less, merely by the expansion in volume incident to an increase in temperature from 56 to 70 degrees. In winter the temperature is raised from 54 to 70 degrees and the problem of humidity, while somewhat more complicated than in summer, has been and is perfectly controlled. For hay fever, asthma, all bronchial affections, not tuberculous, the above conditions are ideal, and for patients of this class, has already given excellent results-we cannot imagine conditions better calculated for the preservation of infant health during the hot summer months, when the rapid changes in atmospheric conditions of our cities play such havoc with their powers of resistance to intestinal infections.

The recent destruction by fire of a large flour-mill which was suppled with power from a turbine which secured its energy from the 15-foot dam above mentioned across Lost River, has rendered possible the steps that are now being taken for the real development and consequent investigation of the vast volume of pure air that is available to relieve suffering humanity as well from the torrid heat as from the various little affictions that torment human beings. Any assistance that can be rendered by this great Society along these lines, will I am sure be gratefully appreciated by the super-heated and suffering public.

Climate and health in the South American Tropics

F. L. Hoffman

People are accustomed to regard the tropics as having an unhealthful climate and as being so hot that people suffer and die from the heat. While such ideas may be well-based for some parts, they give a wholly false impression of conditions in the great Amazon basin. On his recent trip the speaker did not find any record of heat stroke there. He did not suffer from the heat or sunlight, but was uncomfortably cold at night. Among 3000 natives whom he measured anthropometrically he estimated that some three-fourths had bronchial complaints. Bronchitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis and rheumatism are far more common there than here. The so-called unhealthful climates of the tropics become on scrutiny, climates that favor the growth of numerous parasites dangerous to man. Enormous numbers of parasitical worms can exist under certain temperatures but not under others but little higher or lower. Average temperatures, rainfall, and humidities are useless in this connection. The meteorological observer should have his work supplemented by that of a thoroughly trained parasitologist. (The full paper was published in the Monthly Weather Review for Jan., 1922.)

Discussion. Sir Frederic Stupart remarked that it has been obvious for some time past that meteorological observations are not all they should be. The means from 2 or 3 humidity observations are not enough. W. J. Humphreys cited this paper as an example of the great range our study of weather can take. He said that Dr. Howard would agree that the battle is with the insect. And it is so with plants as well as with man. Dr. Humphreys told of some remarks by Dr. Jones of the University of Wisconsin concerning the great need for soil temperatures. Given the temperatures for a certain period of 4 or 5 weeks and he could tell whether or not

the cabbage crop would be a failure, and likewise as to the corn crop. The temperatures would indicate whether or not certain parasites could develop in destructive numbers. Rainfall may be of vital importance in Arizona; but in the Mississippi Valley it is temperature.

More Glaze Storms in Lower Michigan

Following the heavy snow storm of Nov. 8th and 9th, 1921, and the remarkable glaze storm of Feb. 21st and 22nd, 1922, Michigan had a right to feel that she had experienced almost enough for one winter. But to prove that nature is nothing if not lavish, two more glaze storms swept over the lower peninsula of the state, the first on March 19th and 20th, and the second on March 30th and 31st, 1922.

In the storm of the 19th and 20th of March, sleet was reported in some amount from the third tier of counties in the southern part of the state, northward into the upper peninsula. The section of damaging glaze seems to have fairly closely paralleled the storm of Feb. 21st and 22nd, with the section of greatest deposit in the four or five northern tiers of counties in the lower peninsula, ranging from a deposit of about 0.3 inch on the west side of the state, to a full inch on the northeast corner.

A much more general glaze and sleet storm swept across the southern part of the state on March 30th and 31st. Ice to the thickness of 0.5 inch formed on trees, wires, etc., from the southern border of the state northward to the latitude of Saginaw Bay, and thin glaze and sleet were reported well into the northern counties of the lower peninsula.-B. B. W.

Was it Hail or Sleet?

On April 3rd a very light fall of hail (?) occurred over an area of approximately 13,000 square miles in eastern New Mexico. Its "front" was nearly 150 miles long, and moved east to west. Thunder was heard during and after the fall of hail, but no lightning was seen; the sky was completely overcast with low, heavy cloud. The pellets were "about the size of buckshot," were irregular in shape and translucent. Rain had been falling for some hours before, and fell intermittently for some hours after. Under the existing conditions, the air temperature was relatively high, and the rain was followed by warmer weather. Were these ice pellets hail or sleet, or were they hybrid?-Cleve Hallenbeck.

People with radio receiving sets within 300 (or more) miles of Worcester, Mass., should listen for the Weather Bureau forecasts at about 11.10 A. M. and 5.10 P. M. These forecasts come by radio in code from Boston at 11.05 and 5.05, are translated into plain English and sent out by the powerful radiophone station at Clark University. The wave length is 485 meters, and the call, WCN.

Dr. W. J. Humphreys lectured on "Fogs and Clouds" before the Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, on January 5. Dr. Humphreys was recently elected President of the Washington Academy of Sciences. He has been Vice-President of the American Meteorological Society since it was organized.

Lecture on Scientific Long Range Weather Forecasting, April 29

At the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Lafayette Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y., Charles F. Brooks will give a public lecture at 8.15 P. M., under the auspices of the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences.

How Do You Like the Bulletin?

Is the Bulletin worth supporting on the present scale? Don't you think there are some of your friends who would like to read it? Shouldn't it be available in your local public library? If your answer to the first question is "Yes," let the Secretary and Treasurer know it by an increased flow of new memberships or new subscriptions before he plans for the May BULLETIN. Sample copies and form letters were sent to 121 public libraries in the largest cities of the United States but not one subscription was obtained. Evidently, the librarian must have a demand from his tax-payers before he will subscribe. Why not show your librarian the last two numbers of the BULLETIN and persuade him to subscribe?

OF THE

AMERICAN METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY

Published Monthly by the American Meteorological Society
Publication Office: 66 High Street, Worcester, Mass.

Address all Communications to “Secretary-Treasurer, Am. Meteorological
Soc., Clark University, Worcester, Mass.

Vol. 3

MAY, 1922

No. 5

WEATHER INSURANCE.

Of the many kinds of insurance now available, weather insurance is perhaps the newest. Though weather insurance has long been established in Great Britain it is comparatively new in the United States. As in other forms of insurance, the underlying principle is that of indemnity for actual loss. No profit to the insured is contemplated or permitted. By causing a large group to share a risk the individual risk is minimized.

Insurance against loss resulting from unfavorable weather is now being purchased to protect the managements of all kinds of outdoor events. Policies are framed to suit the requirements of special risks. Proposals are not considered unless made at least a week before the insured period commences. Insurance is now available against losses resulting from rainfall, frost, hail, lightning, drought, floods, destructive winds and tornadoes. Weather insurance is a legitimate form of safeguard which is destined to grow rapidly in importance.

Insurance as a method of protection from risk is an established practice. Successful business men habitually protect themselves against almost every known form of loss. In the financial world insurance occupies a prominent place. In insurance involving the inevitable, death, for example, statistics are now available in such variety and abundance that life insurance is as firmly established as is banking, of which it may properly be considered a twin brother. In other forms of insurance the contingency involved is not necessarily inevitable, but it is an ever-present possibility.

In England, insurance against loss caused by unfavorable weather has been a custom of many years. Cricket matches, race meetings, pageants, fetes, football games and other athletic contests have long been insured against loss due to bad weather. In the United States, however, weather insurance has not been developed on an extensixe scale until within the past two or three years. It is true that insurance against damage from hail has been in effect here for 25 or 30 years, but aside from this there has been no general adoption of the English innovation of weather in

surance.

It has aptly been remarked that "Noah was the first man to insure the world against rain by building the Ark." While the scientific accuracy of this statement may be questioned, it is readily apparent that weather is an insurable risk. It is a legitimate field of endeavor, and should not be confused with gambling. Efficient administration requires that every safe

Author's abstract of an article published in the October 20 and 27, 1921, numbers of "The Spectator, (New York), an insurance journal.

« AnteriorContinuar »