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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Topic started by: Poppy62 on Saturday 03 June 17 10:05 BST (UK)

Title: death
Post by: Poppy62 on Saturday 03 June 17 10:05 BST (UK)

Hi All
I have a death cert for an ancestor who died 1863.

Agnes Baird died 30/3/1863 age 1y 4mths, cause of death....Teething.

was this a common cause  as I have never heard of Teething being a cause for death.

Rosie ::) :-\

Title: Re: death
Post by: Forfarian on Saturday 03 June 17 10:20 BST (UK)

I don't suppose it was actual teething that really caused it, rather than some complication of teething, though I don't have enough medical knowledge to guess what that might be. Some sort of infection, perhaps?

In early certificates the cause of death can be quite imprecise, for example 'old age' rather than specifically 'heart failure' or some other specific cause that would be specified now.

Title: Re: death
Post by: J11 on Saturday 03 June 17 10:47 BST (UK)

I have a four year old who died in 1864 with the cause of death given as "dentition, remittent fever, hydrocephalus".  Like you, I too wondered how teething could lead to death.  I suppose the child got an infection which led to complications but I don't really know.

Title: Re: death
Post by: maggbill on Saturday 03 June 17 10:55 BST (UK)

I too have seen many "Teething" deaths - especially in the older burial records.  I suppose in the days of little medical help, babies who were "teething" (apart from all the other childhood ills which had no cure - measles, whooping cough etc) - could easily have fevers - which also could cause childhood convulsions and seizures.... No wonder infant mortality was so high!  Hopefully the current issues with resistence to antibiotics doesn't get to the stage that these sort of "everyday" illness once again could be deadly?  What a thought!

Title: Re: death
Post by: kiwihalfpint on Saturday 03 June 17 10:56 BST (UK)

Hi,

I also have about three children in one family with teething as cause of death.

Here is an old thread about teething which might help.

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=35459.0


Cheers
KHP

Title: Re: death
Post by: Poppy62 on Saturday 10 June 17 10:41 BST (UK)

Thank you All for your responses to my teething issue .
 I have looked at the links which were very interesting and informative and although I'm not any clearer to knowing whether it was convulsions or infections caused by teething , I do have a better understanding of the conditions arising from teething that could have caused her death.

Thanks again

Rosie   :)