MITCHELL (Sir Arthur, 1826-1909, M.D., F.R.S.E., Scottish Deputy or Full Commissioner in Lunacy, 1857-1895, Antiquary)

Autograph letter signed to Samuel Lawson Booth, 1836-1928, artist, Mayor of Southport, 1897-1898, saying "the Scarlet fever research has not yet been published in extenso", he intends "to complete the enquiry & give the results to the Royal Society [of Edinburgh] this winter" with "Mr Buchan's assistance. We have always thought that the investigation gave support to the Germ Theory", and hoping Booth has seen their paper "just published in the Journal of the [Scottish] Meteorological Society", for 10/6 he can join and receive the journal with the article, "which is selling for 12/6", 4 sides 7" x 4½", St. Ronan's Lodge, Innerleithen, 28th September

The Germ Theory implicated person to person contact, while the miasma theory implicated the atmosphere. However, in either case, medical men debated the influence of the weather, and of heat and cold, in spreading disease. The article, 'On the Influence of Weather on Mortality from Different Diseases and at Different Ages', Vol. 44, pp.187-265, is an astonishing summary of the figures from London, in graph form, arranged by every week of the year, averaged over 1845-1874, showing the peaks and troughs in the various months, or the absence of such variation. Interestingly, 'scarlatina' is still in the 'miasmatic' group.
Alexander Buchan, 1829-1907, Librarian F.R.S.E., F.R.S., was secretary of the Scottish Meteorological Society and inaugurated the observatory on Ben Nevis in 1883.

Item Date:  1895

Stock No:  53515      £125

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