On the Changing Face of Rheumatism

Ever since the turn of the century the incidence and severity of acutf rheumatism have been steadily falling. In 1889 Cheadle stated that acutf rheumatism was the commonest cause for admission to hospital and was als? frequently seen in private practice. A similar state of affairs is revealed by ̂ figures for admission to one ward at the Bristol Children's Hospital in charge of Dr. Edgeworth who was not particularly interested in acute rheuma' tism. From June 1890 to July 1893 there were 197 admissions and of thes^ 57 (29%) were for rheumatism or chorea. By 1925 Hutchison could say " tha it was a disease of hospital and not consulting practice and that he could couij1 on one hand the cases of acute rheumatic carditis that he had seen in consul' i