The Heat Wave.

Lake County Press, Issue 692, 23 January 1896, Page 2

The Heat Wave.

WITHIN THE PRECINCTS OF HADES. There was only one topic in Sydney last week, and that was the intense heat and its consequences. A man with a project for extracting sunbeams from cucumbers and retailing sunshine at reasonable rates would have found the paving stones a better reservoir of the sun rays than cucumbers, and would have earned undying gratitude of nearly a million and a half of folk if he had exported the sunhine. A recorded temperature of 108'5'was taken at the Sydney Observatory in the true shade. The intensity of this hot breath over the country can be best

uncleistood by its fatal effects. Fully 25 deaths on Monday alone were attributable to its influence, while a large number of cases are in the hospitals where littte hope of recovery is entertained. Horses dropped dead in the streets, and almost all work of an a: dons nature was suspended, while a full staff of municipal men were watering the streets to try and produce a little coolness, but the heated stoves simply converted the water into steam. There were many cases of women fainting in the streets and a little girl suddenly became demented. Sydney experienced one or two cool breezes during the remainder of the week but the conntry was not favoured. The high rate of mortality continues. At JBourke the thermometer for the past fortnight has never got below 100, reaching as high as 120, with a scorching wind day and night. Horses die in the streets aud birds fall from the trees deadand since Sunday, 22 persons have died. Wilcannia is in an equally bad condition, 119 beingregistered inthe shade. On Saturday five were added to the long death list, including the Rev. Father Davern, RomanCatholic priest. A pathetic tale comes from Bulli. A woman was brought to the hospital demented, owing to sunstroke. The patient and her husband were on the tramp, and for two days the husband carried his. sick wife in his arms amid the terrible heat. January 21. The high temperature during last week doubled the mortality, no less than 50 deaths having been recorded in the city and suburbs.. The largest number of burials took place on Wedne2day,.when 80 corpses were interred. The bulk of deaths were those of infants and old people, but a large number were of persons inthe piime'of life, resulting-from sunstroke and heat apoplexy. The funeral train was crowded with mourners and was a disiressing. spectacle, laden as it wa3 with its freight" of living, and dead.. The mortuary chapel at the Necropolis was crowded. Rain, continues to fall on the coast districts an&i the temperature is moderate..