Rensselaer Standard, Volume 1, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 September 1879 — The Weather as a Pain-Producer [ARTICLE]

The Weather as a Pain-Producer

1 It is a familiar experience that certain bodily pains vary according to the weather. A series of observations on this subject, made with much ability and perseveranoe, has lately been reported to the American Academy of Science by Professor Mitchell. They are by Captain Catlin, of the United States army, who lost a leg during the war. and since that time has suffered a good deal from traumatic neuralgia. He carefully noted, during five years, the effect produced on him by changes of the weather. For the first quarters of these five years there were 2,470 hours of pain, for the second quaiters 2,100 hours, for the third quarters 2,056 hours, and for the last quarters 2,221 hours. The best “yield of pain” is in January, February and March, and the poorest in the third quarter—July, August and September. During these five years, while the sun was south of the equator there were 4,602 hours of pain, against 4,158 hours while It was north of the equator. The average duration of the attacks for the first quarters was 22 hours, and for the third quarters only 17.9 hours. Taking the four years ending January 1, 1879, it is found of the 687 storms charted by the Signal Bureau, 298 belong to the Winter quarters, against 230 for the Summer uuarters. Hence we have the ratio or the numbers of storms of the Winter and Summer quarters corresponding to the ratio of the amount of neuralgia for these respective periods; and the ratio of the average duration oi each attack for the same time corresponds closely with the ratio of the respective tetal amount of neuralgia for tne same periods. The average distance of the storm-center at the beginning of the; neuralgic attacks was 680 miles, Storms from the Pacific coast are felt further off very soon after or as they are crossing the Rocky Mountains, .while storms along the Atlantic coast are associated with milder forms of neuralgia, which are not felt until the storm center is nearer. Rain is not essential in production of neuralgia. The severest neuralgic attacks of the year were those accompanying the first snows of November and December, j. One other interesting observation is as follows: Every storm sweeping across the continent consists of a vast rain area, at the center of which Is a moving space of greatest barometric depression. The rain usually precedes this sterna center by 660 to 600 miles, but before Mid around the rain lies a belt, which may be called the neuralgic margin of the storm, and which precedes the rain about 160 miles. This feet is very deceptive, because the sufferer may be on the far edge of the storm-basin of barometric depression, and teeing noth of the rain, yet have pain due to storm. Pittsburg, September 2.—About ten o’clock last night Prof. Victor Deham, a music teacher in the Pittsburg Female College, was aroused from bed at his home iii Castle Shannon, a suburb of this place, by his wife, who told him thieves were in the vinevard. The Professor, his wife, and hired man went out—the two men being armed. Deham fired bis revolver; then another shot was heard, and the Professor fell dead. It was at first thought the thieves bad killed him. This morning investigation shows that he was killed by a shot from the double-barreled gun or the hired man, Peter J. Bower. The latter has been arrested. The killing is supposed to be accidental. Cincinnatti, September I.—Mr. John Winters, for many yean ticket agent of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad in this city; was found dead in bed this morning.