Causes of Death

[Willow5]

My Dad grew up being told that his mother had died after a saucepan fell off a shelf and hit her on her head. Out of curiosity I sent for her death cert. and found that she had died of cancer. How terrible for him to live all his life thinking that was how she died.I suppose cancer was never mentioned in those days- the 1930's

[Jean McGurn]

Most of mine died of Phthisus (which I believe was Consumption) apart from one 5 yr old who died of Cholera and g.g.g.grandfather died of Senile Decay.

Suppose it's not surprising as they lived in Liverpool in the middle 1800's and consumption was rampant.

Jean

[skb]

How about this one:

Hysteria. Congenital Neurotic Gastric Regurgitation and Marasmus 147 days.
Asthenia a few hours

He was a 32 year old school master who had been married about 5 months at the time.

The woman's second husband lasted about 4 years. (Haven't got the certificate, so don't know what caused his death). Husband number 3 seems to have outlived her.

[Magrat]

I have a gt.gt.grandfather who died from 'suffocation by being choked by pudding (impaction of food)' Another from typhus fever. Several ancestors died from TB and one gt.grandfather who died of 'a disease the nature of which was not ascertained'.

I also had a gt.gt.grandmother who died from diabetes and one who died from a kidney infection and uraemia.  It is quite sad when you think that today they would be unlikely to die from these given the treatment available now.

Cheers
Magrat

[Simma]

I've just got the usual mix of typhus, typhoid fever and TB/Consumption. Also, bronchitis seems to be rather common.

The only odd ones I have are my great great great great grandfather dying of 'cancer of the bones of the face, ill for 18 months' in 1890s Scotland, and my great great grandfather dying of 'senile decay after fracturing thigh after being struck by a truck in the sidings of Barnsley Main Colliery'.

Quite how senile decay and the fracturing of a thigh are connected I'll never know.

[BassinghamTerrier]

... struck by a truck in the sidings ...

OUCH!! That's GOT to hurt! 

[KathMc]

The only odd ones I have are my great great great great grandfather dying of 'cancer of the bones of the face, ill for 18 months' in 1890s Scotland

Wow, my gggg grandparents were all born in the 1700s, and some of my ggg grandparents were also. I feel old. My great-grandparents were around in the 1890s.

Kath

[stephen7]

One of hubby's great great grandads died of "Decay of Nature" Still not sure exactly what that is

Carol

came across a death cert, stating he died " of general decay "( turned out not to be one of my rellies) found out " general decay " means .......... wait for it............ old age, he was 73. maybe decay of nature means the same.
steve

[sallysmum]

In one of the letters from third cousin twice removed, Frederick, his cousins Isabella and John who were married to each other for only 2 months.  Isabella apparently dropped down dead at the train station as she waved him off to go the Boer War.  I haven't sent off for the death cert yet but would be interested in this, also to read any newspaper articles.

Another death, which I find very distressing, is of a chap, whom I now don't think is my gg grandfather, but from his death cert he died of 'exhaustive diarrhea' whilst in the workhouse.  How sad a demise in unfriendly surroundings.

Sallysmum