Genealogy Chat

on receiving the record of my great great great grandmothers burial it says she died of DROPSY. Can anyone tell me what that is?. She died in 1850 at the age of 21 years. Vanessa

Dropsy (or Dropsey) Contraction of hydropsy, which means oedema (fluid retention), often due to Heart failure Kidney disease From http://www.paul_smith.doctors.org.uk/ArchaicMedicalTerms.htm

Thanks Liz. So sad. And such a young age. Vanessa

Hi, Dropsy (or Dropsey) Contraction of hydropsy, which means oedema (fluid retention), often due to Heart failure Kidney disease If you do a search on google there's load more info. Hope this helps a bit. Bex x

Lol, looks like we both looked at the same website. Fair play for getting there quicker than me. lolol Bex

Thanks Rebbecca. I will do that. Vanessa

Dropsy is another vague term that just means swelling due to water retention. It is a symptom of other disease. Interesting how old death certs just say vague things that mean 'stopped breathing' or give diseases that don't kill, like laryngitis, and modern ones have at least 3 causes all given with precise Latin terms. nell

Hi Helen. Sorry for the delay in answering. Just got in from work this morning and saw your link. Iagree with you. Three of the burials were children. Two of them said died from convulsions. I think that is another term for cot death. given the year of deaths i am not suprised that they may not have heard of cot death. The years were 1902 and 1903.. ages 1 month and eight months. Vanessa

I don't think convulsions are the same as cot death Vanessa. Convulsions for those children might have been brought on by the body's inability to deal with a temperture rise, eg an infection. Gwyn

Good morning Geyneth. Sorry i`m afraid i am maybe guessing it. The three childrens deaths are so close together i only had a feeling that it may have been that. First child born 1902 died of convulsions 1 month later. second child born 1903 died of convulsions 8 months later. Third child born 1899 died of Pheumonia aged 4 years in 1903. The last 2 died within a day of each other and had to be buried two days apart. What agony for my great grandparents. Thaks for pointing things out and maybe guessing is not the best idea. Best Regards Vanessa

Thank you Patrica for the intresting infomation. I am learning as i go along with this family research. NEVER guess the reasons put on to death cetificates. Thanks again. Vanessa