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Medical historians.... Looking for some information regarding General Paralysis

Medical historians.... Looking for some information regarding General Paralysis

Posted: 26 Aug 2014 5:50PM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 7 Sep 2014 3:40PM GMT
Hi,

I've discovered an ancestor of mine died in an asylum from general paraylsis after doing a bit of research i found that this means he had late stage syphillis. I just wondered if anyone could help me understand this illness a bit more during this times. He died in the Hull city asylum in 1911. He had previously stayed in Scalebor Park in west riding which was a private asylum.
So here are my questions....

1. His wife had died in 1907 from Epilepsey, so who would have put him in the asylum, He was from Copenhagan orginally (he had four children ranging from 19 to 8) and had no other family around?

2. When and how might he have contracted syphillis?

3. What kind of treatment might he have undergone?

4. Is it possible that the epilespesy and syphillis are related?

5. any other information regarding Scalebor park or Hull city asylum?

Thanks

Re: Medical historians.... Looking for some information regarding General Paralysis

Posted: 7 Sep 2014 1:53PM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 7 Sep 2014 1:53PM GMT
1. Possibly his doctor or he might have put himself in there.

2. He could have been born with it (congenital syphillis) or contracted it from sexual activity. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syphilis

3. Don't know

4. Unlikely. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epilepsy

Re: Medical historians.... Looking for some information regarding General Paralysis

Posted: 11 Sep 2014 3:54PM GMT
Classification: Query
A death certificate should specifically state "general paralysis of the insane" if it was related to syphillis. Just because he was in an asylum does not mean he was insane. People with no other family and had a chronic debilitating disease were placed in "asylums" by doctors or church/community elders. He could have contracted polio which causes General Paralysis.

Re: Medical historians.... Looking for some information regarding General Paralysis

Posted: 11 Sep 2014 4:58PM GMT
Classification: Query
Thanks for that. I have tried to obtsin records from both asylums he stayed in but i only managed to get his name and dates of admission and death. i have to write to the mental health service in humberside to obtain permission to try to get more records. i also have a copy of his sons entry into a boys home which says his father is of unsound mind so its anybodies guess really at the moment. i
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