There has been a sharp rise in the number of reported cases of diseases that were very common in the Victorian era.

Scarlet Fever, whooping cough and gout have all been showing themselves a lot more recently, but would you know how to spot them?

The Royal College of Nursing has put the rise down to local authority public health cuts and says that the Government should be doing more, after a study by the Labour Party found that hospital visits for these illnesses had risen by 52 per cent since 2010/1.

This was an increase of over 3,000 a year, despite these conditions being virtually eradicated in the 1950s.

What is scarlet fever?

Scarlet fever is an incredibly contagious bacterial disease, which is most common in children under 10-years-old.

The disease was a common cause of death in the Victorian era, but had largely been in decline since the introduction of antibiotics.

Scarlet fever is caused by bacteria known as group A streptococcus and is spread through close contact with people carrying the organism, often in the throat.

Symptoms include a sore throat, headache and fever, accompanied by a red rash that is rough to the touch.

Any child diagnosed with scarlet fever should not go to school until at least 24 hours after the start of antibiotic treatment while any adult affected should stay off work for at least 24 hours after starting treatment. There is currently no vaccine for scarlet fever.

What is whooping cough?

Whooping cough is seen most in children and can be very dangerous.

It is also called Pertussis and is a highly contagious bacterial infection that attacks the lungs and airways.

The first symptoms of whooping cough are similar to those of a cold, such as a runny nose, red and watery eyes, a sore throat, and a slightly raised temperature.

Intense coughing bouts start about a week later.

The bouts usually last a few minutes at a time and tend to be more common at night.

Coughing usually brings up thick mucus and may be followed by vomiting.

Between coughs, you or your child may gasp for breath, this may cause a "whoop" sound, although not everyone has this.

What is Gout?

Gout is a type of arthritis in which small crystals form inside and around the joints. It causes sudden attacks of severe pain and swelling.

The condition mainly affects men over 30 and women after the menopause.

Gout can be extremely painful and debilitating, but treatments are available to help relieve the symptoms and prevent further attacks.

Here are some of the symptoms:

Severe pain in one or more joints

The joint feeling hot and very tender

Swelling in and around the affected joint

Red, shiny skin over the affected joint

Being overweight, eating and drinking rich foods and having diabetes can cause gout.