PDF (Whole thesis) - UTas ePrints - University of Tasmania

171
Furthermore, in October 1856 , Hall commenced anothei selfimposed
task, wh ich he undertook in the interests of the community -
his "Monthly Report on the Health of Hobarton" which he furnished first
to the Royal Society and later to the press.
These reports , which he
'
continued to compile without interruption for twenty-five years until
his death in 1881, always followed a similar pattern;
firstly, he
compared the number of deaths in the month with that of the previous month ,
and then with the same month in the preceding six years;
deaths \vere then
divided into age groupings and subsequently again according to fifteen
different classes or causes of death , \vhich varied from zymotic diseases
to old age.
Considerable meteorological detail followed, including
readings of the barometer , thermometer, and the wet bulb thermometer,
plus records of solar intensity, elastic force of vapour, rain, wind
force, amount of ozone and the like .
The report, half mortality
statistics , half meteorological details, usually concluded with a summary
of the beneficence of othenvise of the weather , and a word of warning or
advice on health . For those who took the troub le to read Hall •s reports ,
there was much interesting information and suggestion;
to those who did
not, there was at the least an apparent , strong emphasis on the importance
of health.7
list of duties .
In November , Hall added another item to his steadily increasing
When the newly established 11Servants ' Home Society11
asked for voluntary medical assistance, he, together with J. Agnew ,
immediately offered his services to the inmates of the howe .
7 See Appendices for an example.