[Methodological problems in studies of acute morbidity 1870-1900].
BACKGROUND
The use in medical history of morbidity data from national health statistics raises difficult issues concerning the quality of registration practice in the late nineteenth century.


METHODS
Data on morbidity have been extracted from the annual medical reports from each of the seven health districts in Telemark County, Norway from 1870 to 1900. The incidence of epidemic diseases and general mortality is calculated.


RESULTS
In Skien and Kragerø health districts, the occurrence of epidemic disease was higher than in the five adjacent rural districts. While illness increased in Skien during most of the period, it declined in Kragerø from about 1885. Throughout the period there is a clear tendency towards conformity in the patterns of development of acute morbidity and general mortality.


CONCLUSIONS
Health statistics are assumed to have been influenced to some extent by inaccurate diagnostics, varying numbers of doctors and their accessibility, and dissimilarities in general educational standards and in the ability and willingness to pay for medical treatment. However, these factors alone can not account for the considerable differences in morbidity between the seven health districts. It seems reasonable to conclude that variations in acute morbidity reflect differences in living conditions in the districts in question.
Storesund
Asbjørn
A
Institutt for allmenn- og samfunnsmedisin Universitetet i Oslo Postboks 1130 Blindern 0318 Oslo. asbjorn.storesund@hit.no
D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000266:history*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D009017:Morbidity; D009026:Mortality; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D012042:Registries / Q000592:standards