Is there a Doctor in the house?

[Newt]

I am interested in understanding what a cause of death on a certificate means in 'plain English' especially in the context of the persons life etc.

Is there a Doctor here who can answer this?

The person I am interested in died in 1873 of...'Phthisis Apnaea'  He was 43 when he died and worked in or around London as a groom all his life.  He wasn't in his family household in the 1871 census (probably more to do with his work than any illness).

Thank you,

Neal

[neil1821]

Hi,
Phthisis is an archaic technical name for tuberculosis/consumption.

Neil

[PrueM]

Hi Newt,
There are several websites that list obsolete - or at least old - medical terms, including http://www.paul_smith.doctors.org.uk/ArchaicMedicalTerms.htm
I have usually seen "phthisis" used in conjunction with "pulmonalis", meaning TB, but as you can see it might be used to describe any breathing difficulties - same with apnoea.

Phthisis [ty'sis]     
    * Literally, means a wasting disease but almost invariably will mean pulmonary tuberculosis
    * Any debilitating lung or throat affections; a severe cough; asthma
Apnoea  = Absence of breathing

What do you think?

Prue

[Newt]

Good site Prue.

I have bookmarked it and shall soon be checking all my death certs!

Thanks both

Neal

[oldcrone]

hi Neal

I would agree with Neil and Prue M in that phthisis is the 'old' word for what we would now call tuberculosis or TB.  Apnoea is a cessation of breathing, usually temporary, due to a variety of causes.  In this context, I would assume that your man died due to breathing difficulties associated with TB.

In terms of the context of his death, TB was extremely prevalent in big cities such as London at this time - a highly infectious disease which has now largely been wiped out through the use of antibiotics.  People would pass it on just through coughing and sneezing, so in cities, especially, it was rife.  I wouldn't have thought that working as a groom would have had any bearing on him catching this disease at the time - one branch of my family living in London was almost wiped out by it in 1875, and they all had various occupations - policeman, dock labourer, servant, etc.

Clara