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Cause of Death Typhus Fever Question

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  • Cause of Death Typhus Fever Question

    My 2nd Great Grandfather died at the age of 45 in 1857 in London.

    In the Cause of Death box on his Death Certificate it states that the cause of death was "Fever Typhus" and under neath "2 weeks certified", does anyone know what this means? Does this mean that it was a reportable disease or that he was subject to quarantine rules?

    I do not know anything about Typhus Fever, is it contagious? Although the family always lived in large groups, sometimes several generations together on one floor of a house, no other members of the family seem to have died from it.

    He was a Barge Builder by trade and lived in Stepney, London and would have worked by the river Thames.

    Any suggestions would be welcome.

    White Mist

  • #2
    Here is some info on typhus fever - http://www.who.int/ith/diseases/typhusfever/en/

    Overcrowding certainly doesn't help.
    Linda


    My avatar is my Grandmother Carolina Meulenhoff 1896 - 1955

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    • #3


      This may help you

      Edna

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      • #4
        Interesting page on major epidemic outbreaks in Uk and explanations of terms used for diseases

        http://kdfhs.org.uk/index.php?option...d=43&Itemid=30
        Linda


        My avatar is my Grandmother Carolina Meulenhoff 1896 - 1955

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        • #5
          It means the death was supported by a medical certificate - certified. A doctor had known of the disease for 2 weeks.

          Before 1875, deaths did not have to be medically certified, the informant just made a guess at the cause of death.

          OC

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          • #6
            Thank you both for your prompt replies and the links. Sounds nasty and horrible as many of these kinds of diseases are.

            I guess that the "2 weeks certified" meant that he died 2 weeks after he had been diagnosed - that would make sense.

            White Mist

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            • #7
              Thanks for your reply OC. Question - Why would a medical certificate have been issued?

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              • #8
                Originally posted by White Mist View Post
                Thanks for your reply OC. Question - Why would a medical certificate have been issued?
                In all cases (other than some which go through the coroner) a doctor has to issue a form called an MCCD (Medical Certificate of Cause of Death) which is what the registrar takes the medical information from.
                Last edited by AntonyM; 05-09-15, 13:20.
                Retired professional researcher, and ex- deputy registrar, now based in Worcestershire. Happy to give any help or advice I can ( especially on matters of civil registration) - contact via PM or my website www.chalfontresearch.co.uk
                Follow me on Twittter @ChalfontR

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                • #9
                  Ahhh of course. I have never made that link before - do I feel silly . The obvious stares you in the face but you cannot see it and usually its the simplest of things.

                  Thank you for straightening me out Anthony. Cheers

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                  • #10
                    As Antony says, but before 1875, a doctor did not need to certify the cause of death. This led to all kinds of abuse including murder and insurance fraud so the rules were tightened up in 1875.

                    It was also possible pre 1875, to bury someone without registering their death - again an opening for crime.

                    OC

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                    • #11
                      Didn't Prince Albert die to typhus?



                      Researching Irish families: FARMER, McBRIDE McQUADE, McQUAID, KIRK, SANDS/SANAHAN (Cork), BARR,

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                      • #12
                        It was believed so at the time - as did two of his brothers.

                        However, current thinking is that as he is known to have suffered from severe stomach afflictions for a couple of years, he could well have had stomach cancer or Crohn's disease.

                        Jay
                        Janet in Yorkshire



                        Genealogists never die - they just swap places in the family tree

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Olde Crone Holden View Post
                          As Antony says, but before 1875, a doctor did not need to certify the cause of death. This led to all kinds of abuse including murder and insurance fraud so the rules were tightened up in 1875.

                          It was also possible pre 1875, to bury someone without registering their death - again an opening for crime.

                          OC
                          OC thanks for your reply. Am I right in thinking that as, in the Cause of Death box on the Death Certificate states "Fever Typhoid Two weeks certified" that I can assumed rightly that a Doctor made out a Medical Certificate 2 weeks before he died in 1857? Why would he do that? I cannot find any Burial records for him either.

                          OC You have also answered an unasked question that I was thinking about asking ie "Why can I not find so many of my ancestors death registration/burials records?". Where would these people be laid to rest?

                          I still have a lot to learn

                          White Mist.

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                          • #14
                            It means the cause of death was Typhoid fever ( or was it Typhus as per your earlier posts ....they are not the same thing), the duration of the illness was two weeks, and the doctor issued a certificate of cause of death.
                            Retired professional researcher, and ex- deputy registrar, now based in Worcestershire. Happy to give any help or advice I can ( especially on matters of civil registration) - contact via PM or my website www.chalfontresearch.co.uk
                            Follow me on Twittter @ChalfontR

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              You cannot know that someone is going to die in two weeks time, lol. It means the death and the cause of death were certified by a doctor and he had known of the illness for two weeks. He wouldn't fill out the certificate until a person had died - it is a medical certificate of death.

                              People whose deaths went unregistered were buried in the normal way, in churchyards and there should be a record of the burial in the church registers. After 1875 a body could not be buried unless the death had been registered.

                              OC

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                              • #16
                                By 1857, people who died in London were already being transported out of the city for burial. The first necropolis train to Brookwood cemetery in Surrey ran in 1854. So, if you want to look for a burial record, it may not be where you would expect to find it!

                                Jay
                                Janet in Yorkshire



                                Genealogists never die - they just swap places in the family tree

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                                • #17
                                  Originally posted by AntonyM View Post
                                  It means the cause of death was Typhoid fever ( or was it Typhus as per your earlier posts ....they are not the same thing).
                                  .

                                  Thank you for your reply.

                                  My mistake - "Fever Typhus".

                                  White Mist

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                                  • #18
                                    Thank you so much for this info. I have never heard of necropolis trains?

                                    I will do some research about this.

                                    White Mist

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                                    • #19
                                      Originally posted by White Mist View Post
                                      Thank you so much for this info. I have never heard of necropolis trains?

                                      I will do some research about this.

                                      White Mist
                                      The London Necropolis Company opened a huge cemetery at Brookwood, Surrey, about 20 miles outside London. They built their own railway station a short way down the railway line from Waterloo station in London. The station platforms and train were finally destroyed by a WWII bomb. The building survived a lot longer.
                                      Uncle John - Passed away March 2020

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