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Author Topic: Death certificate - senile decay  (Read 3159 times)

Offline gemini rising

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Death certificate - senile decay
« on: Saturday 25 July 15 22:49 BST (UK) »
I recently obtained a death certificate for my 2 x great grandfather and it states "senile decay."  As he was only 66 (which I suppose in 1873 was quite old), I wondered if this meant Alzheimers or whether it was just a general term they used in those days when someone was just "old."  I think life expectancy in those days was about 40-45 so I suppose he would be classed as fairly old for that time.

Offline Rosinish

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Re: Death certificate - senile decay
« Reply #1 on: Saturday 25 July 15 22:54 BST (UK) »
Hi Gemini,

Just means mentally infirm with age.

Annie
South Uist, Inverness-shire, Scotland:- Bowie, Campbell, Cumming, Currie

Ireland:- Cullen, Flannigan (Derry), Donahoe/Donaghue (variants) (Cork), McCrate (Tipperary), Mellon, Tol(l)and (Donegal & Tyrone)

Newcastle-on-Tyne/Durham (Northumberland):- Harrison, Jude, Kemp, Lunn, Mellon, Robson, Stirling

Kettering, Northampton:- MacKinnon

Canada:- Callaghan, Cumming, MacPhee

"OLD GENEALOGISTS NEVER DIE - THEY JUST LOSE THEIR CENSUS"

Offline gemini rising

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Re: Death certificate - senile decay
« Reply #2 on: Saturday 25 July 15 23:06 BST (UK) »
Many thanks for that Annie.


Marilyn (Gemini)

Offline chempat

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Re: Death certificate - senile decay
« Reply #3 on: Sunday 26 July 15 07:59 BST (UK) »
Some interesting tables,
life expectancy:
http://www.jbending.org.uk/stats3.htm

and father's age at birth of first child, and average number of children:
http://www.jbending.org.uk/stats5.htm

Offline stanmapstone

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Re: Death certificate - senile decay
« Reply #4 on: Sunday 26 July 15 08:25 BST (UK) »
Senile Decay. Refers to the progressive loss of mental capacity that leads to dementia and personal helplessness. The majority of the cases recorded were most likely Alzheimer's disease. [Schmidt2007]. http://www.antiquusmorbus.com/English/Senility.htm

Stan
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