Causes of Death - Family History & Genealogy Message Board

Death in infancy late 1800- early 1900

jodyjanet — 2013-05-04 15:42:41Z

Im just wondering what was the most common cause for babies to die in the late 1800- early 1900.
I have many many family members who had perhaps an average of 8 children of which at least approx 4/5 of them died under the age of two. Mainly in South Yorkshire.

Re: Whooping Cough

gaucho1950 — 2013-04-19 07:45:53Z

This leaflet by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society might offer a clue.

http://www.rpharms.com/museum-pdfs/j-whooping-cough-treatmen...

Whooping Cough

jamesmontgomery1980 — 2013-04-18 19:47:05Z

My grand aunt died aged only 3 months, cause of death being pertussis. I've discovered this is whooping cough.
She died in March 1931. I believe antibiotics were not commonly used until the 1940's.
What treatment would have been available -or is it a case of hope for the best?
Her death certificate states she died in hospital.

Re: cause of death: Ulceration of Bowels and Exhaustion

halpark — 2012-12-06 09:45:24Z

There are at least two categories of relaionship - inherited and familial. e.g. Huntington'disease (previously known as Huntington's Chorea) is proven to be hereditary. Cancer is not hereditary but is know to "run in families" which is why doctors always ask for family histories. However it is just suspected that if one has relatives who have had cancer, wherever, the risk is higher. Glaucoma is another disease which is familial but no hereditary link has been proven. As far as diagnosis for your 2x gt.grandfather is concerned, medical knowledge was so primitive at that time there is absolutely no way you could say it was definitely such-and-such. These are really only symptoms and, as you say, could have had a dozen causes.

Re: Oedema

halpark — 2012-12-06 09:31:43Z

Jenny,
You do not say the date of this death certificate but I think you must accept that it would be absolutely impossible for anyone to say exactly what was wrong. Diagnosis was, until comparatively recently, very primitive, simply due to lack of knowledge. Oedema is simply swelling caused by an accumlation of fluid and is a symptom, not a disease. It is one of the symptoms of heart disease (cardiac disease) but a modern diagnosis might be able to narrow down the actual fault more accurately. It is also a symptom in other medical conditions. The glottis is part of the throat and a swelling there could have been a f deformity or symptom of some illness. Heart problems were relatively common and in the past the parents would just be told the child was unlikely to survive childhood - today they would probably be operated on and live normally. Such things were often congenital but not necessarily to do with the mother being ill - and even if it were, the connection was not known. The fact that mothers who contract rubella (German measles) while pregnant can cause really serious problems for the child, while barely affecting the mother, was only discovered comparatively recently (last 50+ years I think) but you also have to take into account that many similar congenital conditions were not caused by the mother suffering from rubella. You will never know for sure - the child was born with some congenital condition from which it died - best just to accept it as written. Hope this helps.

Re: Finding out cause of death

halpark — 2012-12-06 09:11:19Z

Just for information. In cases like this cause of death was sometimes recorded as "Natural causes" i.e. when you have passed the "expectation of life" limits it was not un-natural to die. Logical at least!

Re: Finding out cause of death

dewright12 — 2012-12-06 01:28:35Z

Well I didn't realise or stop to think that life expectancy was that low. That puts a new light on the cause of death. Thanks!

Re: Finding out cause of death

mi2early — 2012-12-05 23:31:46Z

In 1903, life expectancy was approximately 52 years for women. 87 was very old. The cause of death seems accurate.

Re: Finding out cause of death

dewright12 — 2012-12-05 20:51:41Z

I got my 2 x Great Grandmother's death certificate and it indicated her cause of death was 'old age'! This was in 1903 and she was 87. Just shows how unscientific their diagnoses were back then.

Oedema

lintywhite — 2012-12-04 08:10:50Z

I have a death certificate for a 14 month old that states the following: Cause of Death - 1) Oedema of Glottis which he had suffered from for two days 2) cardiac valvular disease and numerous local oedemas which he had suffered from since birth.

Would someone please be able to explain this is modern terms and provide a reason why this child might have had this condition from birth? Is it considered a birth defect or was it associated with some sort of illness, perhaps of the mother? I understand that Oedema is swelling associated with fluid.

I have tried googling but haven't found a satisfactory explanation.

Thanks, Jenny

Re: cause of death: Ulceration of Bowels and Exhaustion

Champlain9 — 2012-11-30 17:22:31Z

Ulcerative colitis?

Due to a heavy loss of blood, or blood loss over a prolonged period of time?

Yes I would have thought there is a strong possibility of inherited diseases here.

Regards

Janice

Re: Finding out cause of death

kh440 — 2012-11-13 14:51:54Z

"Causes of death, when known, were irrelevant ..."
from:

Nineteenth-Century Death Records: How Dependable Are They?
By William B. Saxbe Jr., M.D., M.P.H., CG, FASG
http://www.progenealogists.com/19thdeathrecords.htm

It depends on the era you are asking about. In the article it says some causes of death may be found in Last Wills, on a tombstone, church/town registers, etc.

Hope this helps a bit.

(I'm not affiliated with that company; just thought it was a good explanation).

cause of death: Ulceration of Bowels and Exhaustion

jamesmontgomery1980 — 2012-11-13 14:51:11Z

My 2x great grandfather's cause of death is recorded as Ulceration of Bowels and Exhaustion.
I've tried looking for a definite definition but this description could cover a multitude of diseases.
I'm leaning towards a ruptured ulcer as also mentioned is exhaustion. Any suggestion?
Also interestingly is that 2 of his daughters also died of stomach cancer as did one of his grandson's, is there a link between their cause of death and their fathers?
Just curious to see what people think.

Re: Finding out cause of death

halpark — 2012-11-07 09:21:15Z

The most important thing to remember is that in the 19th century, and early 20th, knowledge and diagnosis was very primitive - very often the "cause" of death was just a symptom which could have been associated with a number of basic causes with better knowledge. The quotation is very apt - irrelevant because so often inaccurate due to lack of knowledge. For instance there are records of death from "dropsy" which simply means oedema - why? "Cough" - why? and "inanition" - failure to thrive - why?

Re: Congestion of the Bowels

lindaruel1961 — 2012-09-07 15:12:44Z

Constipation would be the cause of a bowel obstruction...

Re: Congestion of the Bowels

ygilbre — 2012-09-07 13:51:43Z

Good information, thanks!! Do you happen to know what would cause this? My research subject was poor and died in 1886 at the age of 42.

Re: Congestion of the Bowels

researchnerd1 — 2012-08-29 22:30:08Z

It would most likely be bowel obstruction (i am an ICU nurse and that is the closest thing I can think of). It is a stoppage in the bowel, the bowels can basically overinflate with stool and burst, which then causes sepsis (a blood infection of 'blood poisoning') and the patient would die.

Re: Finding out cause of death

giannuariojackie — 2012-08-27 20:07:26Z

Sometimes the cemetery records will indicate a cause of death.

Re: Finding out cause of death

jeanhspencer1 — 2012-07-17 17:30:34Z

When you order the death certificate that will hold information regarding cause of death.

Finding out cause of death

segloag — 2012-05-30 19:54:40Z

Hello,

I am fairly new to researching my family history, but I was wondering if there were ways of finding out the causes of death? Nothing seems to be mentioned on any records I am finding. Is this normal?

Thank you!

Re: Congestion of the Bowels

lindaruel1961 — 2012-05-23 02:24:06Z

Bowel obstruction????

Re: Congestion of the Bowels

diskoverit — 2012-04-15 01:18:14Z

Constipation

Congestion of the Bowels

ygilbre — 2012-03-10 15:45:16Z

Could someone tell me what congestion of the bowels means as a cause of death?

Thanks!

Re: Congestion of the Bowels

halpark — 2012-02-12 23:43:45Z

There is absolutely no way of being sure of what this diagnosis really was, particularly if it was 19th century or early 20th century. Diagnosis was very primitive and many diseases had not even been defined. Obviously the person had some problem with the bowels but what was causing it is anyone's guess. With old diagnoses it is best just to accept a general definition and that that could have been a, b or c.

Re: Congestion of the Bowels

LSLangille — 2012-02-11 19:48:17Z

here's a good link, although it doesn't give a true defintion of what this is ... sorry.
http://www.antiquusmorbus.com/English/EnglishC.htm