Incidence Glover (1943) has again drawn attention to the decline in the death rate from acute rheumatism and rheumatic heart disease, as shown by the Registrar-General's returns, which has been in progress since the beginning of the century. He shows that this decline was considerably 4ccelerated during the first three years of the war. Glover discusses the possible significance of this, and points out that, while it coincides with a general improvement in the standard of living, it is roughly paralleled by the fall in death rate of streptococcal infections like scarlet fever. Hedley (1939) has shown a similar trend in the United States. He notes the asscvciation with an increased standard of living, and points out that the mortality is appreciably higher amongst young negroes than amongst the whites, who certainly live, on the average, under more favourable conditions. Hedley also suggests that the recent widespread practice of tonsillectomy may have had some influence.