On Oct 3, 1:38 pm, Roger Coppock wrote:
On Oct 3, 2:23 am, Martin Brown
wrote:

http://www.euro.who.int/Housing/Activities/20041013_3

Well, at least you offer solid evidence. The fossil
fools on this newsgroup seldom have anything to back
up their statements. I'd buy into the increased winter
mortality, except for this passage from your link:

"When individual causes are considered, the association is
strongest for myocardial infarction and stroke. Comparison
of monthly mortality rates in different European countries
demonstrated highest mortality rate from all causes in January;
the month with the lowest rate was August. In addition, most
deaths related to "cold exposure" do not take place during or
immediately following exposure, but days later."

You are clutching at straws and it does your argument no good at all.

The mechanism for the relationship linking myocardial infarction
and stroke to cold temperatures is not explained. There is no
mechanism offered for a delay of days either.

I am sure that you are capable of using Google, but just in case here
is chapter and verse. It is well known that several risk factors in
the elderly and infirm tend to make their blood more viscous in
winter. Combine that with the generally increased prevalence of
influenza and colds in the winter and you have a mechanism. See for
example:

http://qjmed.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/...full/92/12/747

The correlation between cold weather and mortality is clear enough.
And the reason they don't die instantly is that modern medicine is
really quite good.

What did surprise me is that the winter excess deaths by stroke also
holds in Australia if the following link is to be believed.

http://www.mydr.com.au/default.asp?article=3872

I had assumed that winter in Australia was a lot warmer, and that heat
stress in summer would be an issue.

Regards,
Martin Brown