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Inquest because of Whooping Cough ?

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  • Inquest because of Whooping Cough ?

    Just a quick question. I have just acquired the death certificate of the last of my 4 "lost babies" (my great uncles/aunts), the other three (Jane Ann, Elizabeth and another Harry) all died from broncho-pneumonia and exhaustion. This one, Harry, however died from whooping cough. Now on the death certificate, the informant was the coroner from inquest 10 Feb 1896.

    Would anybody happen to know if that was a normal thing in those days, to have an inquest because of whooping cough I know it was a more serious disease to have in those days but to have an inquest because of it ?

    Any input would be extremely welcome

  • #2
    I wouldn't have thought it was 'normal' to have an inquest when the cause of death is whooping cough. Perhaps they thought it was a cover-up for something else? Did all four children die close in date to each other? If so, maybe this one was a 'test case'??

    anne

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Anne in Carlisle View Post
      I wouldn't have thought it was 'normal' to have an inquest when the cause of death is whooping cough. Perhaps they thought it was a cover-up for something else? Did all four children die close in date to each other? If so, maybe this one was a 'test case'??

      anne
      No, not really, Jane was the first about 8 years previous, then this Harry, then Elizabeth a year later and then the next Harry 4 years after Elizabeth.

      All the children died before the age of 2 and when Harry died, there were another 2 children still living.

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      • #4
        An inquest is normally only held where the cause and circumstances of the death are not clear, and where the deceased was not attended by a medical person in the days before the death. (Or where they were, but death was not expected)

        It may be that the child was found dead in bed. I'm not sure it would be sufficient for the mother to say "Oh, he had whooping cough".

        OC

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Olde Crone Holden View Post
          An inquest is normally only held where the cause and circumstances of the death are not clear, and where the deceased was not attended by a medical person in the days before the death. (Or where they were, but death was not expected)

          It may be that the child was found dead in bed. I'm not sure it would be sufficient for the mother to say "Oh, he had whooping cough".

          OC
          Thanks for that - I wonder if that's what happened, he was found dead in bed and mum said he had whooping cough. Would they be able to know via inquest/post mortem if he had whooping cough other than if his mother/father said so ?

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          • #6
            I would have thought that an autopsy would show damage to the lungs, it is a bacterial infection, but would they have had the medical knowledge to work that out? Or did someone simply think it odd that another child died of apparently the same problem....

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            • #7
              I would imagine the Coroner would call witnesses - other family members, neighbours etc.

              Whooping cough is very debilitating and probably would kill a small child by exhaustion, really.

              OC

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