Author Topic: Why the difference?  (Read 657 times)

Online Bee

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Why the difference?
« on: Sunday 29 November 20 22:50 GMT (UK) »
In the burial registers for Hull on Familyseach I have found the entry for my grandmother and her first son, but the cause of death is different to what is on the death certificates.

Grandmother's death cert states "valvular disease of the heart, 2 months, embolus in femoral artery & gangrene of leg, 1 month."  Burial register states "consumption"

The death cert for her son aged 15 months states "Tabes mesenterica".  Burial register states Tuberculosis.

Any ideas as to difference.

Dinsdale, Ellis, Gee, Goldsmith,Green,Hawks,Holmes,  Lacey, Longhorn, Pickersgill, Quantrill,Tuthill, Tuttle & Walker,  in E & W Yorks, Lincs, Norfolk & Suffolk. Census information is Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Online mckha489

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Re: Why the difference?
« Reply #1 on: Sunday 29 November 20 23:11 GMT (UK) »
For the son, Tabes Mesenterica is a type of Tuberculosis

I expect the mother had Tb as well, but she didn’t actually die of it. But I have a feeling (completely unproven) that consumption was a sort of chronic condition, rather than the acute disease.

The burial register would be relying on family information rather than the death certificates. (I think)

Online Bee

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Re: Why the difference?
« Reply #2 on: Sunday 29 November 20 23:24 GMT (UK) »
Thank you

"The burial register would be relying on family information rather than the death certificates. (I think)"

I hadn't thought of that

I did wonder if the person who entered the details in the register was just a little lazy.
Dinsdale, Ellis, Gee, Goldsmith,Green,Hawks,Holmes,  Lacey, Longhorn, Pickersgill, Quantrill,Tuthill, Tuttle & Walker,  in E & W Yorks, Lincs, Norfolk & Suffolk. Census information is Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline pharmaT

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Re: Why the difference?
« Reply #3 on: Monday 30 November 20 07:39 GMT (UK) »
For the son, Tabes Mesenterica is a type of Tuberculosis

I expect the mother had Tb as well, but she didn’t actually die of it. But I have a feeling (completely unproven) that consumption was a sort of chronic condition, rather than the acute disease.

The burial register would be relying on family information rather than the death certificates. (I think)

You're right.  Although consumption became synonymous with TB it referred to a wasting disease ie where the body was consumed.  So it suggests that she would have been unwell and wasting away
Campbell, Dunn, Dickson, Fell, Forest, Norie, Pratt, Somerville, Thompson, Tyler among others


Offline Andrew Tarr

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Re: Why the difference?
« Reply #4 on: Monday 30 November 20 12:32 GMT (UK) »
You're right.  Although consumption became synonymous with TB it referred to a wasting disease ie where the body was consumed.
... also often referred to then as Phthisis.
Tarr, Tydeman, Liversidge, Bartlett, Young

Online Bee

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Re: Why the difference?
« Reply #5 on: Monday 30 November 20 21:48 GMT (UK) »
Thank you , I have much to learn about old  illnesses and their terminology.
Dinsdale, Ellis, Gee, Goldsmith,Green,Hawks,Holmes,  Lacey, Longhorn, Pickersgill, Quantrill,Tuthill, Tuttle & Walker,  in E & W Yorks, Lincs, Norfolk & Suffolk. Census information is Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk