RHEUMATISM. (New York Times.)

Waikato Times, Volume III, Issue 173, 17 June 1873, Page 3

RH EUM ATISM. (New York Times.)

.OKI of the statements most worthy of Attention in the recent of diseaso in New York, in 1872, is that relating to. rheumatism. This troublesome, and in many cases, terribly .painful malady has, wo are told, u been " steadily increasing 1 within the past five yeilrs." No' one of ordinary observation will be disposed to question the accuracy of tin's statements The frequency and severity ©f the *arious forms of this conw plaint ore subjects of common remark, not only by phy»icians, .but among the community in general. ' The actual state of things in regml to this malady is entirely the opposite of what would have been naturally exjiected. Of all diseases to which the human frame is liable, it would bo supposed, -was among the most likely 'to diminish with the advance of wealth and improvements -in the comforts of living. Tbatin thjs era of "Arctic shoes," waterproof coats, furnice-heal'ed house's, and "drawing-room" cars, people should suffer more from this complaint than in th« days of. thoroughly-soared boots, clothes wet to fie skin, > cold draught tp ward the open fireplace every time a door wet opened, and post coaches, of which the imperfectly-fastened .curtains let in the air exactly where it was not wanted, is ' exceedingly strange. If the increase were merely among th 6 'needy and destitute, it would not be io remarkable. But ' this is .evidently not the case. On the contrary, the increas- ' ing prevalence of* the disease appears to be quite aa remarkable among the wealthy, and those in comfortable circumstances, as among th« podr. Rheumatism has never been a very fatal disease. At the same time, there are few'inaladie* that create so much suffering. The number of death's from it last year, in thU city, 152, being less than one two hundredth part of the ' whole mortality. But the aggregate of physical pain caused i t"bj it, especially in its more severe forms, is exceedingly ,great. Any one who has ever been much with an individual having what is generally known as " inflammatory" rheumatism, and, still more, any one who has had it himself, , will have no hesitation in assenting very decidedly to this remark. The worst " agony "is the only single word in the English language that at all adequately indicates the degree of pain often experienced by tho patient.' ' A very singular feature-' of. the .report, in reference to this /disease, is the disproportion in the number of deaths of the t*ro sexes— sixty-two males and ninety females. "When we remember how much more men are 1 out of doors than women, , this disproportion will appear still more remarkable. If the number had -been fifty per tent, more males than females, instead of nearly that difference the other way, we should iiave said it was perfectly natural and easily accounted for. Men are out of doors on an avrrage fully three times as t ?nuoh oi women', and in stormy weather at least ten times as much. That the sex which furnishes all the omnibus drivers, postmen, and witli few exceptions, all other persons engaged in employments which compel tham to be in the open air several noun a day, in every Ttind of weather, should -be lesa subject than the other to a disorder, of which one of tho distinguishing characteristics is generally considered to bo it* liability to v be contracted from exposure to the elements, 'is a fact which is not without its useful lessons. It certainly docs not speak very highly in favour of staying closely in in {he house »3 n prs<-ent'ii'« of disease, llheum'itism was formerly looked upon as peculiarly a .malady of persons advanced in life. Whatever may have ..been the case in former years, thee is w litfcle ground for .such an i. lea now. The (iise,\se, in all it's forma, attacks in these days not only 1 old people, fait persons of ,;mi(lille age, young men and women, and even little children Its increase among children is such as to give 'reason for no slight alarm. .It would be a most terrible .thing if parents, in addition to other forms of suffering ,which they see tiieir children endure, should frequently be obliged to witness the pain occasioned by this disease, ■'^especially in its severe and aggravated forms. We need not say anything to recommend the increasing prevalence of this malady to the earnest attention of medical" men. ,Jt u a subject the import mcc of, which is fully recognised [by the profession, though, unhappily, tho efforts made ±o check the evil appaar at present not to meet with at all Ail encouraging degtee of success.