Eclipse weather is a popular term in the south of England for the weather following an eclipse of the sun or moon, and it is vulgarly esteemed tempestuous and not to be depended on by the husbandman.
Epidemics.
Epidemics are disorders of health brought on by atmospherical influence; and modern discoveries have shown how much most prevailing diseases partake of an epidemical nature. Scarlet fever, typhus, the plague, and indeed most diseases of this sort, are now considered epidemical. It would seem that there is a most immediate connection between the peculiar state of the air and the kind of disorders which might be thereby excited. For it may be observed that, even of those disorders which are not generally admitted to be contagious, one particular kind will prevail for a long time. Thus, in winter, the different symptoms of that state of body which we call a cold, appear in some measure to prevail and vary together, so that it is common to hear people talk of the fashionable complaint. Coughs, for a while, are the prevailing symptoms; then sore throats are the most common. It is in spring that certain kinds of cutaneous eruptions usually appear, and in autumn that those irregularities in the functions of the digestive viscera called cholera morbus, &c., happen, and which have been erroneously attributed to eating much fruit. On the other hand, it cannot be considered that atmospheric peculiarities alone produce epidemic and other complaints, which must be regarded as having a compound origin, and as resulting from the operation of peculiar states of the atmosphere on persons of particular states of constitution, otherwise all persons would be affected, which is contrary to experience. There are, probably, innumerable varieties of temperament, of general habits of life, and of pre-existing diseases, which in different subjects vary the effects of the air. And many persons perhaps enjoy a state of health and perfect action, which may be capable of resisting its evil influence altogether. It would perhaps be productive of useful results, if physicians of extensive practice would make accurate meteorological registers during the prevalence of any epidemic or contagious disorders. (Forster’s Encyclopædia of Natural Phenomena.)
Epizootic.
Epizootic is a name for epidemic disorders occurring among animals, of which we have many and various instances on record. The state of the electrometer and other meteorological instruments should be carefully examined during the prevalence of such pestilence.
Elder Bush.
A number of superstitions may be traced back to the former connection of the elder bush with the goddess. Witches were thought to produce bad weather by stirring water with branches of elder.
Electric Lights.
Last night I saw St. Elmo’s stars,
With their glimmering lanterns all at play