Family History Month - Old Diseases

Often as we read old documents, we find words that are unfamiliar to us. Old occupations and old diseases are likely the two most common. But that doesn't need to stump us or stop us in understanding more about our ancestor.

A common cause of death for women in the 1800s was Milk Fever - an infection following childbirth but one that people thought was associated with nursing women. Milk Leg was another complication of childbirth - today we know this to be caused by clotting in the legs following childbirth, but in the 1800s this again was associated with nursing mothers.

There were a myriad of illnesses commonly listed on death records but that are unfamiliar to us in the 21st century. Here's a list to some of the more common causes of death in the 1800s: http://rmhh.co.uk/illness.html

Wondering What Uncle James Died From?

Death registers can be a treasure trove of information. Having been raised by a nurse, I am always fascinated by the terms  used for cause of death. It helps me brush up on my Latin (does anyone even speak that anymore?) I have a great great uncle who died of Phthisis. This one stumped me.

I recently came across this website for Archaic Medical Terms. I learned that Phthisis is actually a fancy name for Tuberculosis! Here are the definitions from the website:

• Pulmonary consumption. It is known by emaciation, debility, cough, hectic fever, and purulent expectoration. [Hooper1843]


• Consumption; pulmonary consumption, or decline; emaciation of the body, and debility, attended with a cough, hectic fever, and generally purulent expectoration. It is also termed marasmus, tabes pulmonalis, etc. [Hoblyn1855]


• In a general sense, progressive emaciation. It is usually, however, restricted to phthisis pulmonalis. [Dunglison1874]


• Pulmonary consumption, characterized by emaciation, debility, cough, hectic fever, and purulent expectoration. [Thomas1875]


• Wasting of the frame. [Cleaveland1886]


• A term formerly applied (like Consumption ) to the disease of the lung now known as Tuberculosis. [Britannica1911]


• A wasting or consumption of the tissues. The term was formerly applied to many wasting diseases, but is now usually restricted to pulmonary phthisis, or Consumption. [Webster1913]


• Pulmonary Tuberculosis. Involving the lungs with progressive wasting of the body. [Wordnet]


• Phthisis is an archaic name for tuberculosis. [Medicinenet]

Not particuarly surprising then that James died of TB given the time frame we are looking at. The hunt for his cause of death was a little bit of a let down, but the find of the website made up for it! Here's the link so you can have a look at what ailed your ancestor: http://www.antiquusmorbus.com/English/EnglishA.htm

Happy Hunting!

What Did Your Ancestor Die Of?

A common cause of death for women in the 1800s was Milk Fever - an infection following childbirth but one that people thought was associated with nursing women. Milk Leg was another complication of childbirth - today we know this to be caused by clotting in the legs following childbirth, but in the 1800s this again was associated with nursing mothers.
There were a myriad of illnesses commonly listed on death records but that are unfamiliar to us in the 21st century. Here's a list to some of the more common causes of death in the 1800s:

http://rmhh.co.uk/illness.html