tirely imperforate-not merely the meatus, but the entire glans. While getting a proper instrument a false passage was forced at the anterior extremity of the frænum in one case, and in the other the Dr. perforated the glans.

Dr. Cook, of Hackettstown, says that within the bounds of his practice is a child (colored) about eighteen months of age, in whom the rectum terminates in the vagina, the fœces passing out from the vulva. It requires much effort for the child to evacuate the bowels, and this difficulty increases with the growth of the child, yet it is healthy. It is remarkable that this abnormal condition of the parts was not discovered until the child was about nine months old, when the Dr. was called to examine it.

The Cumberland District Medical Society celebrated its semi-centennial anniversary on the 15th day of April last. A historical paper was presented by a committee raised for the purpose, of great interest to the County, and a valuable contribution to medical literature. The writer, Dr. Robert M. Bateman, being desirous of making the history as complete as possible, will still further perfect it and offer it to the State Society in 1870 for publication in its volume of transactions. The example of the Essex Society two years since, and now of Cumberland, is commended to the other Societies of the State as they approach their golden anniversary, that so, in the course of years our transactions may contain a valuable and complete medical history of the State.

The Committee append to their report a paper by Dr. Culver, one of their number, upon Climatological Records, and upon the use of the hygrometer as an indispensable aid in epidemiographical knowledge.

STEPHEN WICKES,

J. E. CULVer.

APPENDIX TO REPORT OF STANDING COMMITTEE.

THE HYGROMETER.

A PLEA FOR ITS GENERAL USE.

BY J. E. CULVER, M. D.,

MEMBER OF STANDING COMMITTEE.

The barometer tells us the variations in the weight or pressure of the superincumbent atmosphere upon our bodies. These variations are but limited, and chiefly gradual, throughout the State of New Jersey, and I do not know that it is possible to discriminate their epidemiological consequences. Nevertheless it is comprehensible that a considerable and sudden diminution of the atmospheric pressure can produce hyperemia of the capillaries of the surface of the body and the respiratory passages, and, perchance, some degree of engorgement of the lungs. Contrary barometric changes conduce to contrary results.

The rain-gauge measures the quantity of rain-fall. It is not a very delicate or exact instrument, but its record is indispensable to the study of the etiology of epidemics. The rain-fall protects the public health. Heavy and frequent showers cleanse whatever they fall upon, and thereby inhibit zymotic diseases, or restrict them to in-door engenderings. The past year has been remarkable alike for its abundant rain-fall, and for its freedom from wide-spread epidemics of

contagious diseases. Showers drench the air, and the raindrops unite with and bear downward to earth all foreign particles, dust, the emanations of putridity, and even the gaseous exhalations of combustion, putrefaction, and fermentation. The fallen rain dissolves, dilutes, buoys away, and thus renders innocuous accumulations of putrescent filth and putrefiable matters.

The thermometer measures temperature. The effects of the thermometric mutations of the atmosphere upon the vital functions, are so interwoven with those of the concurrent hygrometric conditions, and so modified by them as to make a record of thermometric observation alone, incomplete and almost valueless. I therefore venture to express the earnest hope that, a table of hygrometric observations, repeated at least thrice daily-early morning, noon, and late eveningwill, if procurable, be published with the other climatological statistics in the report of the Standing Committee for the current year. Neither the thermometer, the rain-guage, nor the barometer, indicates the existing or average moisture of the air.

The temperature of the air indicates its density or rarefaction. The higher the temperature the greater is the space which a given weight of air occupies; and therefore warm air contains less of ponderable matter, oxygen, nitrogen, etc., per cubic inch than cold air does. The temperature and hygrometric state of the inspired air, are, in this climate, exceedingly inconstant; but the temperature of the expired air, as it issues from the air-passages of man in health, stands always at about 95° Fahrenheit, and it is saturated with aqueous vapor. M. Barral found that from seven-eighths to nine-tenths of all the water which passes off from the human body escapes in this manner. The quantity of moisture which a given volume of air will hold, increases with the tempera

ture, but in a much faster ratio than the temperature. Wherefore, two vital phenomena, alike essential to the existence of air-breathing animals, are subject to change with every fluctuation of atmospheric moisture or temperature. I allude to oxidation and evaporation; the former the source of animal heat, the latter regulating the degree of heat by a counterbalancing or cooling process. A glance at the potent influences brought to bear upon the human organism by extreme climatic conditions, as represented by a cold-dry, a cold-moist, a hot-dry, and hot-moist, atmosphere, will enable us the better to appreciate the pathological tendencies set on foot, not only by extreme, but also by intermediate climatic conditions and vicissitudes of weather.

Below the freezing point of water, air contains merely a fractional percentage of aqueous vapor. A cold, dense, dry atmosphere is generally pure. In such an atmosphere the vital oxidation progresses swiftly, provided the requisite supply of oxidizable constituents in the blood of the pulmonary capillaries is maintained; and thence arises a liberal generation of animal heat. Contrariwise, cold air in motion coming in contact with the skin and air-passages, abstracts caloric from them by convection and by radiation, being itself warmed and rarefied thereby; it may also produce constriction of the myriads of aqueducts, which, in the cuticle and mucous membrane give transit to moisture. Inasmuch, therefore, as it cools the body, and at the same time shuts off the water emunctories, so far it diminishes the necessity and the possibility of evaporation. Yet withal in such an atmosphere, respiratory evaporation is generally abundant, rises and falls in amount. according to the evolution of animal heat, and chiefly contributes to maintain the uniform temperature. The urine is plentiful.

A hot-dry air of 80° to 90° Fahrenheit, effects oxidation