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Archiver > CHESHIRE > 2002-03 > 1014990517


From: "Iain Archer" <>
Subject: Re: [CHS] Cause of death
Date: Fri, 1 Mar 2002 13:48:37 -0000
References: <001401c1c113$cd307950$8b8e87d9@jane5ziu4219un> <003101c1c117$480c78b0$cd267ad5@iain001> <002101c1c124$459f3650$458a87d9@jane5ziu4219un>


Hello again Jane,

I realise heart problems can occur in the young as well as the old, but if
your ancestor was 39 then it is possible that she didn't have anything major
wrong with her heart at all.
I can picture a possible scenario; like most people of that era, they didn't
see doctors regularly, if at all, because they couldn't afford it, so in
your ancestor's case possibly she hasn't seen a doctor for anything for
maybe years, if at all, and then suddenly one day without warning she dies.
The family send for a doctor, who before certifying the death asks them what
happened. One, or all, of the people present replies 'she said she had a
pain in her chest'. The doctor then assumes she had a heart problem but
because he doesn't know exactly what it might have been, due to not having
seen her as a patient before, writes down the catch all term 'morbus
cordis'. Of course, the pain in the chest could just have been a
coincidental bit of indegestion and she actually died of something else
entirely!

Unless the doctor thinks it is very suspicious or he is extremely
conscientious, he probably wouldn't order a post-mortem.

This is just one possibility of course, and you and others on the list could
probably think up others that may be just as likely.

Iain Archer
Chester, Cheshire



>
> She died in 1909 and the certificate just states 'morbus cordis'. She was
39
> years old when she died. She had lost two babies in 1899 & 1900 (and
> probably others - I mention this as 'morbus cordis' is also given when a
> person died from no explanation? As in 'giving up') My grandfather - her
son
> died from a big stroke - but did all the things you shouldn't do! Just
> wondering as it's not a 'very old' date of death. If the doctor thought
> there was no history of heart disease (for him to apply the term morbus
> cordis) then could it be that it happened suddenly/chronic?
>
> No - you've not worried me either - mine up to now - have died from other
> things!
>
> Jane






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