Page:Transactions of the Provincial Medical and Surgical Association, volume 4.djvu/274

 172 regarded as hardly ever fatal in its uncomplicated state. It, however, became so occasionally, by passing into, or being superseded by, other diseases, particularly of the lungs. In the register of St. Paul, we find eleven deaths, and in that of St. Hilary five deaths, from this disease; the former occurring in seven different years, the latter in two.

Croup.—Mr. Polwhele, in his history of Cornwall, states this to be a frequent and most fatal disease in that county. Of its fatality, I believe there is only one opinion; but it may be doubted if it is more frequent in Cornwall than elsewhere. I am, however, disposed to regard it as being fully as frequent as in any place which I have had an opportunity of observing. In the register of St. Paul, we have fifteen deaths recorded in nineteen years, being one in sixty-one of the whole mortality. In the practice of the surgeons of the district, it was found of general, but by no means of frequent occurrence: yet seldom more than two years would elapse without the occurrence of some cases; and when they did occur, they were extremely fatal. I could not ascertain that the disease was more prevalent in any one place than another. It was confined to children. All my four cases occurred in the same year, and two out of four died.

Mumps.—I met with no case of this disease while in Cornwall: it however appears on the books of the dispensary both previously and subsequently to the period of my residence. This fact shews its epidemic character; and I was assured by the surgeons of the district, that it occasionally appeared in this manner, in different parts of the district.