Hans Torison cause of death

[Greensleeves]

This is an extract from the death certificate of Hans Toresen, my 5x gt grandfather, retired Mariner, who died at the Greenwich Hospital in 1849, aged 77.  I can read some of this but not all, so would appreciate some help with this cause of death, if possible.

Regards
GS

[avm228]

Vertigo - progressive
Anasarca senilitas - for a long while
Diarrhoea - 2 days

Certified

[Billyblue]

I'd agree with avm
Though I've never heard of Vertigo being a cause of death - unless it made you fall off a high building, or fall over and hit your head severely enough to cause death.

More likely the diarrhoea for 2 days - in an elderly person, just as in the very young child,  this can cause enough dehydration to be fatal.

Dawn M

[Wiggy]

Anasarca is an old term meaning oedema (often caused by liver failure) or possibly in this case just a side effect of old age.

Wiggy

[avm228]

I wonder whether by "vertigo" they really meant orthostatic hypotension.

Taken together with oedema (the anasarca) and GI problems (the diarrhoea), this would be consistent with an underlying condition such as amyloidosis, which is rare but serious.

On the other hand he may just have had chronic symptoms of e.g. heart failure and then got a tummy bug.

[Billyblue]

I wonder whether by "vertigo" they really meant orthostatic hypotension.

Taken together with oedema (the anasarca) and GI problems (the diarrhoea), this would be consistent with an underlying condition such as amyloidosis, which is rare but serious.

On the other hand he may just have had chronic symptoms of e.g. heart failure and then got a tummy bug.

Could be either - but we have to remember this was 1849

Dawn M

[Greensleeves]

Thanks so much, everyone, for helping with this.  Hans and his wife, Barbara, were Norwegian, and he was a mariner.  They settled in Rotherhithe where I believe there was quite a large Norwegian community.  After his wife's death, he went to live in the Greenwich Hospital.  I believe that Greenwich was for retired sailors from the Royal Navy.

[*Sandra*]

Yes, I agree - Vertigo  =  progressive
Anasarca senilitas  -  for a long while
2 days Diarrhoea

Certified

Merry Christmas
Sandra

[Greensleeves]

Many thanks Sandra.  And once more a big thank-you to everyone who has helped with this, and Happy Christmas to you all!   

GS