How tragic....

[Orangeblossom]

I'm just doing some research in Scotland and came across this family....

They lived in Gretna between 1852 and 1865. They had at least 6 children. Only one of them survived to 1871 and he happened to be born in England.

They had 3 boys named James. All 3 died young, aged 7 months, 15 months and 21 months. 2 of them had Hives.

So sad... they lost a daughter and another son too, but I haven't found them yet.

[Orangeblossom]

Oh, I just found another one... daughter aged 7 months died of Measles!

[Just Gillian]

How sad Tracy!

I didn't even know hives could be fatal.

[Olde Crone Holden]

How sad.

I have never heard of hives being a specific cause of death - I get hives! Itchy, watery blisters caused by an allergic reaction. This can go on to cause anaphylactic shock, but the hives are a symptom of something, not an illness.

OC

[Orangeblossom]

I just found this....

In rare cases, allergic reactions can cause a dangerous swelling in your airways, making it hard to breathe - which is a medical emergency.

Guess that might do it :o

[Olde Crone Holden]

Orange Blossom

That is the anaphylactic shock bit, when your throat closes up.

However, I really don't know if anaphylactic shock was recognised as such back then.

Poor little mites - I wonder what they were allergic to?

OC

[Orangeblossom]

It doesn't say on the certs... just hives. Could have been anything.

Found the brother - he died of Scarletina. He was 1863, the longest survived one aged just 6. I assume that's Scarlet Fever?

[Phoenix]

Scarletina is different from Scarlet Fever. on't ask me how. I had it as a teenager. As I recall, it was characterised by the most horrible boils. My mpther made me swear not to say what had been wrong with me, as she had sent me to school for several days, thinking I was malingering!

[Christine in Herts]

From nhsdirect:

Scarlet fever is also known as scarletina, although this term is sometimes used to refer to a mild form of the disease.

Christine

[womblepatra]

is there a site with this information

orangeblossom

is there a site where you get the death cert information from,

[Orangeblossom]

The Scottish ones are on Official government source for Scottish genealogy, census and family research - ScotlandsPeople - you get 30 credits for £6. Each cert is a photocopy of the register book and costs 5 credits to view, plus one or more to do the search.
For England & Wales, you have to buy them from the GRO or the local RO.

[womblepatra]

thanks orange blossom,

wonder when uk will do the same as scotland and have images available on line

[Olde Crone Holden]

womblepatra

Did you mean a site for explaining the causes of death found on death certs?

England and Wales certs will not come online until the law has been changed, which doesn't look like happening any time soon!

OC