Page:Transactions of the Provincial Medical and Surgical Association, volume 4.djvu/314

 212 poor watery diet. If that be, indeed, the true explanation, it is one which harmonises but too well with the situation of the poorer classes of this county. but which refers the evil to a cause which we behold with concern, but have little power to remove."

Female diseases.—The only diseases of this class in the Dispensary tables, that require notice, are those comprehended under the head of chlorosis and amenorrhœa. It will be observed that the proportion of cases so denominated is extremely great, being, in fact, nearly three times as great as in London, and more than one-half more than in Plymouth. It will also be observed, that the disproportion is entirely owing to the very great number of cases thus distributed in the first column of the table. Taking the two last columns only, we find that the proportion of such cases (even when those classed under dysmenorrhœa are included) to the total diseases, during the same period, instead of being 1 in 21, is only 1 in 25, or, excluding dysmenorrhœa, in 30. Still, even this is a very large proportion, and I can only account for it by supposing that every case presenting any deficiency in the catamenial discharge was arranged under this head, without considering how frequently the amenorrhœa is a mere symptom of other diseases. I am borne out in this supposition by the result furnished by the second column, which gives the proportion only as 1 in 52. I do not doubt, but that if as rigid analyses had been instituted during the other years, as was done by myself in classifying the cases during these three years, the general result would have approached