Genealogy Chat

Hi Today I went to Kew for the first time! I was lucky enough to find my Grandfather's WW1 service records and on it it said he had 'Unopia'. It was written quite clearly so I don't think I've got the spelling wrong. I googled it and got nothing. After it it says Ametro... and that last 4 or 5 letters I can't read. Hope someone can help. Thanks Lyndsey

Could it mean that he only had one eye? Or some kind of optical problem in one eye? Kate.

Hi Kate No it can't have been that, I've seen photo's of him after the war and he definately had two working eyes! Also I'm sure my Nan would have mentioned it if it had been something like that. However, other papers do refer to him having heavy headaches after a shell blew up a parapet(?) which knocked him unconsious for four hours. Lyndsey

I must say my thought was that he had a problem with one eye - the Unopia bit. Ametr.. sounds as if it might have involved measuring (or, rather, lack of measuring) - how about a loss of ability to distinguish distance? That wouldn't show to look at him, but it would be a real problem in the military. Christine

Hi, I have entered Unopia into an online medical dictionary, and it came up with no matches....Very strange, I hate these mysteries and now will be googling away for england! Fuzzy

I think you must be on the right track there. They are recommending glasses of above average strength. I wonder if he ever got them? I've certainly never seen any photo's of him wearing specs. Apparently it happened in London, I'm not clear on the date though. His records were among the 'burnt' collection and some were damaged.

Yes Fuzzy, I was suprised when I googled it and got no matches.

Hi I found this address somewhere when I was looking for an explanation for a cause- of -death term on a cert. It took a few days, but I got an answer that explained it. Maybe you could try writing here. Have tried a number of times to put in the link but it won't come out in its entirety...is BIG BROTHER watching? PM me if you would like the address. Rgds Maggie

Thanks - does that have a .com or .co.uk on the end?

Is it worth trying a more Greek spelling in that medical dictionary? Unopoeia, perhaps? Christine

Maggie It's the sequence of a ''dot'' followed by anything starting with ''co'' that causes the problem. Just add something between and it all appears like magic! www.medterms.*com Christine

Could the second word be: Amaurosis Blindness (partial or complete) Then it could mean that he was blind in one eye? Christine

Hi Christine, I did put in * for the ., but it was after the @ that it wouldn't print. I will try again, thanks.

Trying again: www*oldmedterms(sign for at)btinternet*com Fingers crossed.

Right now I'm not getting anywhere with anything! - but I'll keep trying! Thanks everyone! Lyndsey

Hi Maggie. I didn't realise you were entering an e-mail address and not a website address. GR always suppresses anything that resembles an e-address. Christine

However clear the records, its possible the term was incorrectly spelt. My gt X 3 grandfather just had 'blind in one eye' on his records, no fancy talk!

Lyndsay - I know you said that he had two working eyes from the photos you've seen but........what about one of them being false? Just a thought :0) Jen

Apologies if anyone else has said this already, but Unopia should be Anopia = Sightlessness (especially because of a structural defect in or the absence of an eye) Merry

Is the other bit....Ametropia? Ametropia occurs when eyes with vision defects such as astigmatism, myopia, and hyperopia are unable to properly focus light rays into a clear image. Eyes with ametropia typically require corrective lenses or eye surgery. Merry