Modern medical translation of Death Certificate 1903

[belindabebe]

Hi "Chatters"
Wondering if anyone has any suggestions regarding a Death Certificate notation.
The Certificate is dated July 1903 with the cause of death listed as "General Paralysis" subsequently Heart failure ... duration of last illness is 4 years ......

I have heard reference that the term "general paralysis" may be an early terminology applied to Parkinson's Disease .... any one got anything that confirms this? or perhaps an alternative option?

The death Certificate applies to a person of very high standing within his community at that time.

Thanks for your time
Belinda

[Billyblue]

I haven't heard this term applied to Parkinson's Disease - which doesn't mean I dispute your statement        

If you Google "General Paralysis" you'll find your answer.  A disease takes no notice of a person's "very high standing with the community", though of course some diseases are more prevalent in one 'class' or another, as we know.

Dawn M

[Ruskie]

Often called "general paralysis of the insane". Four years duration would probably fit in with that too wouldn't it Dawn?

If you google "parkinson's disease" "general paralyisis" is not noted as an alternative term for this disorder.

[Billyblue]

I think the 4 years duration relates to the heart disease.

But could be both I guess.  I see Wiki says "eventually, the patient would become completely incapacitated, bedfast, and die, the process taking about three to five years on average.  So that fits, too.      

Dawn M

[belindabebe]

Wow! Thanks Dawn and Ruskie
OK .... I was thinking about some illnesses be more prevalent historically in particular classes or regions rather than others .......
family legend says that ........ "he was unable to carry on at sea" ........... which fits within the parameters of both medical terms ... he was apprenticed about age 15 eventually becoming Ships Captain and ultimately Port Philip Pilot ...... age at time of death = 49 years

[Ruskie]

Being a seafaring man could also go some way to accounting for his "general paralysis". 

Yes, sorry I skipped over the bit that said the four year duration was for his heart disease, presumably the heart disease was as a result of the general paralysis?

[belindabebe]

Chicken vs Egg!
I'm not sure which came first ... but it is listed as
general paralysis
heart failure
last seen by doctor in January (so 6 months prior)

[Billyblue]

Normally, whatever eventually causes the death is listed first, and contributory illnesses after that.

for instance, my Dad fell and hit his head and was diagnosed with a sub-arachnoid haemorrhage (no way to tell whether it was spontaneous, causing him to fall and hit his head, or whether he fell and hit his head and this caused the sub-arachnoid haemorrhage).  But because of some deficiencies in his treatment at the hospital the ambos took him to, he developed pneumonia and this was given as the cause of death.

Dawn M