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Archiver > BRITISH-JEWRY > 2006-10 > 1160831587


From: "BP Bergman" <>
Subject: Re: [BRITISH-JEWRY] Lyons
Date: Sat, 14 Oct 2006 14:13:07 +0100
References: <452E7F74.000003.01060@NONE-UQ864NB9BQ><01b301c6ee2e$6cfe9dd0$bebf87d9@your65ee2e91be><005b01c6ee35$184cc6c0$9301a8c0@beingplqycb1q1><B94A2CC6-5A89-11DB-9DDA-000D93B92CB4@westnet.com.au><003401c6ef2e$1ab65990$3bb787d9@your65ee2e91be>


< unless I am confused one died from dropsy
(think the elder one) but the other died from water on the brain >

"Water on the brain" is probably hydrocephalus. Possibly associated with a
congenital (birth) defect such as spina bifida, or perhaps a complication of
meningitis.

"Dropsy" is the old term for oedema = swelling of the legs and fluid
retention, usually due to heart disease. In those days, and in a child,
possibly a consequnce of rheumatic fever which in earlier times was often a
serious complication of strep throat infection. Rarely seen today, thanks
to antibiotics.

As for < asked the assistant about dropsy I thought he said it was
encephalitis > I think this must have been a mistake. Dropsy is definitely
not encephalitis. In pre-antibiotic days, it is just possible though that
untreated encephalitis could result in hydrocephalus - but
we must bear in mind that diagnosis of these disorders was not a precise
science in those days. There were no scans, lumbar punctures etc and a
diagnosis would have to be made on the basis of external symptoms only.

Beverly Bergman
Camberley UK



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