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Family History Documents and Artefacts => FH Documents and Artefacts => Topic started by: cunners on Wednesday 12 February 14 10:43 GMT (UK)
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Hi all,
I wonder if anyone can shed some light on a cause of death I have on my 2x great grandfathers death certificate from 1918. His cause of death is listed very simply as "Syncope, 3 months" with no further information apart from being certified by the doctors name. I understand that syncope is simply a loss of consciousness so it raises the question, does the above cause mean that he lost consciousness for 3 whole months (ie presumably a coma) or is it repeated losses over the period? It seems very vague and not a real CAUSE of death although I understand it was a common thing to put on death certificates of the time.
Any help from peoples experience is appreciated.
Cheers
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I think it is rather frequent passing out rather than being unconscious for any length of time. The definition of syncope would include disorders such as epileptic seizures, concussion or cerebrovascular accident.
It could be a symptom of heart disease or similar. My uncle has it and his is caused by low blood pressure which causes him to faint if he stands up too quickly.
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Thanks. So from that, presumably he had bouts of passing out over a 3 month period and after one of those, he never woke, but they failed to look into the reason why.
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Hi Cunners - I agree with Groom. It is more likely that your 2 x great grandfather suffered from frequent temporary fainting episodes for the 3 months prior to his death. Insufficient blood flow to the brain is the cause - so low blood pressure - very possibly because of heart disease. Syncope cannot be used as a cause of death these days, but in 1918 it was in common use. He probably collapsed, became unconscious and died. If he was elderly the doctor wouldn't look into the reasons why he suffered from syncope.
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As others have said, as a cause of death, the syncope was most probably related to his heart.
If it was from epileptic seizures, it would have been described as 'seizures, 3 months'
Dawn M
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Thanks all,
He was 58, so by modern standards not very old, but in 1918 I guess it was not uncommon.
Cheers
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I have an old book from the early twentieth century, "Medical and Nursing Dictionary and Encyclopaedia" by Evelyn Pearce.
She says, "Syncope is a word used to describe fainting, which may be slight or severe. It also implies sudden heart failure which may be immediately fatal. Fainting is due to brain anaemia, resulting from weak heart action. The patient feels sick and dizzy, his skin becomes cold and clammy, beads of sweat appear on his face. His pulse is feeble and he passes into unconsciousness. After a varying time he begins to come round, sighs, his pulse improves, and he recovers consciousness".
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Anent syncopy, you can experience this from a bout of repeated sneezing, and very strange it is too!
Skoosh.