Victorian diseases such as rickets and gout return as living standards fall

Poor diets and a rise in inequality between rich and poor have seen the return of diseases most commonly associated with Victorian Britain – such as rickets and gout.

Rickets – which leaves sufferers with brittle bones – is caused by a Vitamin D deficiency, and the number of cases has risen by 39% since 2009/2010.

The illness was common in the 19th Century – and was made famous by Tiny Tim in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol – and was largely wiped out by improvements in nutrition.

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But as poorer families are increasingly unable to afford nutritious foods, it has returned.

The Sun also reports that gout – a painful illness caused by a build-up of uric acid in the body – has returned, increasing by 41% since 2009/2010.

The rise in gout cases is thought to be caused by obesity and an ageing population.

Other ‘Victorian’ ailments have also made a return – such as syphilis, with cases nearly doubling in the past eight years.

It’s thought that a rise in the number of people having unprotected sex is behind the rise.