General Chat

Can anyone help me out here and tell me what these people would have died of? I've sent off for some death certificates for various people in my tree and can't for the life of me work out what they've died of! Help! Post-Partus 2 hours Haemorrhage. Phthisis. Rheumatic Fever – 17 days. Apoplexy. Visceral Disease. Anyone have any ideas?! These are all different entries by the way! Amy x

Hi Amy, Phthisis - Chronic wasting away or a name for tuberculosis. Apoplexy - Paralysis due to a stroke. Don't know about the others but have a look at this site:- www(.)jansdigs(.)com/racine/medical(.)html Tracey

Amy Postpartus (I think it should be postpartum) haemorrhage is uncontrollable bleeding after childbirth. Happened to a gt gt grandmother of mine only it was called "flooding after childbirth" on her cert. Your relie obviously had a posh informant! Phthisis is an old and unpronouncable (why its not used anymore) for tuberculosis. Apoplexy is an old-fashioned term for a stroke, or cerebral haemorrhage. Visceral disease is a vague term which could mean lots of things - viscera is a term meaning internal organs. I imagine it was some intestinal problem - cancer, peritonitis, who knows? "Rheumatic Fever A disease of children and young adults that is a delayed complication of an infection in the throat or nose caused by a haemolytic streptococcus. The typical features are fever, arthritis, rash, skin nodules (typically over prominent bones) abnormal movements (Sydenham’s chorea) and Carditis (inflammation of the heart) Often used to describe the late effects on the heart although this should really be termed Rheumatic carditis. Consequence of rheumatic fever, which may cause inflammation in The heart valves (aortic, mitral, tricuspid and pulmonary) so that the valves become either too narrow (stenosis) or are floppy and fail to close properly (incompetence or regurgitation) Valves that do not work properly will result in a murmur that a doctor will hear Valves that do not work properly will result in a strain on the heart either from The increased effort of pumping blood through a narrowed valve opening The increased effort of pumping blood through a leaky valve as some of the blood pumped out can flow back into the heart The end result is heart failure, which is eventually fatal These damaged valves can become diseased again if germs get in to the blood stream during surgery, including dental work. This is acute endocarditis and it can be fatal. In modern times, people with damaged heart valves take antibiotics to prevent this problem The heart muscle so that the contraction of the muscle is uncoordinated or ineffective. A common consequence is atrial fibrillation The end result is heart failure, which is eventually fatal The pericardium (the membrane that surrounds the heart) The diseased pericardium prevents the heart from pumping efficiently and the end result is heart failure, which is eventually fatal Any combination of the above ". Info in " is from www*.paul_smith.doctors.org*.uk/ArchaicMedicalTerms.*htm remove * first. Nell

Thanks all! That's brilliant! Amy x