Page:Transactions of the Provincial Medical and Surgical Association, volume 2.djvu/234

 little beer at home, but, in general, the women and children, except among the better class of labourers, are badly off.

Secondary small-pox has been very prevalent of late years but its occurrence has not at all lessened the confidence in vaccination; indeed, I sometimes think the parents are pleased at their children having it.

Calculous complaints are very unusual here, and, in my own practice, they have occurred more frequently among women than among men. During the last ten years, the labouring classes, although comparatively well off, have not been able to procure so large a quantity of animal food, and I think a considerable difference may be observed in the nature of their diseases. Formerly, severe cases of inflammation of the abdominal viscera, particularly of the liver and bowels, were frequent; they are now seldom met with, while, on the other hand, inflammation of the mucous membranes is certainly become much more general.

The mortality in this town, during the year 1832, was very great, the deaths being eighty-two, thirteen of which were from cholera; while, during the first, six months of the year 1833, there have been only nine funerals.

In the coal districts, on account of the coal strata being so very thin, the labourers are obliged to lay upon their sides to work, from which cause the spine, occasionally, becomes twisted; but I am not aware that any material inconvenience arises from the deformity. Asthma very frequently occurs among the miners, and many young men are unable to work under-ground from that cause.