Rheumatic Complaints in a Rural Population.

The geographic distribution of disease is a subject in which increasing interest has been shown in recent years. Cobb and Lawrence (1957) summarized the findings in nine surveys of the prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis in different countries and discussed some of the factors which might contribute to the varying results reported. The prevalence of rheumatic complaints other than rheumatoid arthritis has received less attention. Kellgren, Lawrence, and Aitken-Swan (1953), in a study of rheumatic complaints in Leigh in Lancashire, included accounts of the prevalence of osteo-arthrosis, disk lesions, and other conditions. De Blecourt (1954) included osteo-arthrosis, ankylosing spondylitis, and "rheumatism of the soft tissues" in his report from Holland. The present study was undertaken to investigate the prevalence of rheumatic complaints in an isolated rural community in England, in which the majority of the population were born in the district and had lived and worked there all their lives, and amongst whose ancestors there had been much inter-marriage. It was thought that such a study might offer a useful comparison with others of populations with different genetic, environmental, and occupational backgrounds. This paper reports the prevalence of rheumatic complaints in two groups of people, those born in the district and those coming into it from other parts of the country, and discusses some features of inflammatory polyarthritis found in these groups.