"WELSHNESS" AND DISEASE

An account is given of a method by which a genetic difference in the incidences of some common traits and diseases can be demonstrated between the Welsh and the non-Welsh people of Wales. The method is considered to be of value because both moeities of the population have a common environment and a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Human biology 1968-12, Vol.40 (4), p.517-533
Main Author: ASHLEY, DAVID J. B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bronchial diseases
Bronchitis
Coronary artery disease
Diabetes
Disease/Diseases
Family names
Genetic diseases
Genetic/Genetically/Genetics
Genetics, Population
Lung neoplasms
Medical genetics
Morbidity
Mortality
Population/Populations/ Populationists
Vascular diseases
Wales
Wales/Welsh
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Summary:An account is given of a method by which a genetic difference in the incidences of some common traits and diseases can be demonstrated between the Welsh and the non-Welsh people of Wales. The method is considered to be of value because both moeities of the population have a common environment and a similar distribution of occupations. An enhanced susceptibility to gastric cancer, prostatic hyperplasia, coronary thrombosis, diabetes and cerebrovascular disease has been found in the Welsh. No difference between the Welsh and the non-Welsh was found in the case of lung cancer and bronchitis and it is suggested that the different mortality experience of Wales in respect of these two diseases may be related to the predominant dusty industry of coal mining. It is pointed out that the technique may be useful in other fields than that of medicine but that as the populations steadily become more intermingled the sensitivity of the analysis is becoming less and less.
ISSN:0018-7143
1534-6617