Is there a doctor in the house? Unknown death cause

[Carokers]

I have my great grandfather's death certificate that states he died from Locomotor Ataxy Exhaustion. Can anyone explain what this is please. He died in 1902 aged just 44. I tried Googling these words but I am still none the wiser really. It appears to be to do with the central nervous system, and the 'Exhaustion' implies he had been suffering from it for some time.

I would be very grateful for a explanation in layman terms.

Many thanks

[Chrissie Smiff]

I would say exhaustion from this Carokers - http://health.hpathy.com/locomotor-a...tment-cure.asp

[Guest]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locomotor_ataxia

[Carokers]

Many thanks Chrissie and Val - Yuk I wish Id never started too now!! At best it looks akin to Parkinsons which I can relate to, I'm not sure about the syphilis bit though, everyone else in the family was perfectly healthy from what I can gather. Poor man though it sounds dreadful.

Thanks again.

[Guest]

I believe lots of children used to be born with Syphilis years ago

[Olde Crone Holden]

It probably wasn't caused by syphilis, because syphilis was a notifiable disease (still is) and the death certificate would have alluded to that cause by stating "GPI" which was Grand Paralysis of the Insane, a careful euphemism for syphilis, to avoid unnecessarily upsetting relatives (remember there was no cure).

OC

[Carokers]

Many thanks OC that has put my mind at rest. I think in my heart of hearts it didn't make sense because my great grandmother lived to 70 years old, and their five children appeared healthy enough into adulthood. I think I have a photo of the rest of the family taken in 1913 and they look very well. Whatever caused his disability doesn't appear to have been passed down thank goodness.

Thanks again OC

[Carokers]

Thanks Val yes I thought so too and it wasn't too fussy about class either. We should remain so grateful to our ancestors for what they went through and saved us from a lot of grief.

[Janet]

According to my early 20 c Medical Book Wikipedia only have half the story! The first part is correct as per 2012 but there is a second part as per 1902 which states that only 3/4 of cases were caused by syphyllis and the other quarter was caused by mental worry or shock, blows on the spine, falls, overwork, exposure to cold or storms, excessive use of stimulants and tobacco. So in your case of exhaustion I might be inclined to look at the mental worry, shock, fall, overwork or even smoking too much before looking at the VD one! What was his occupation? Had he been in the army and Boer War? What maybe was going on in his life at this time? Where was he living? Was he living in a slum/overcrowded area/workhouse etc?

The above causes may not be as we see the disease today, which is of course the way Wikipedia looks at it, but in 1902 the above causes would have been seen as correct, so we must always remember to look at the causes as they were in 1902 not 2012.

Janet

[Carokers]

Wow! Thanks Janet that's very insightful. He was a wheelwright part owner of a family business in Marylebone, North London. I have nothing to connect him to any military and he was at home during all census between 1861 and 1901. I have just had a quick look on FMP and nothing shows up there either. The slum aspect doesn't ring true, although smoking could have been something I have never seen my grandad smoking in any photos, but you never know! He was young too when he died from Pleurisy. Injury to my great grandfather's back or overwork sounds most likely to me now.

Many thanks again.