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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: seemex on Monday 31 October 16 04:09 GMT (UK)
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Can anyone decipher this? Its from a British Army medical examination report done in Hong Kong in 1895.
Under Disease it says Rem: Fever. What does Rem: mean?
Under remarks, the first word looks like Moderate - but what are the other words?
Thanks
Brian
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Treatment = quinine. :-\
Rem = remittent? :-\ Having the colon after Rem is curious though ....
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Yes - that caught my eye too - Malaria fever by another name maybe??
going to look for mr Google's ideas, though the 'colon' after the Rem sugegests this isn't part of the disease, but part of the Dr's remarks.
I wonder if he suspected Malaria but couldn't confirm it so started treatment anyhow just in case.
Just guessing.
Wiggy :)
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Wondering if the Rem. Fever is Remittent Fever. A fever pattern that varies but is not normal.
Just a guess.
sami
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(Sami, I see you are thinking along the same lines. I amended my earlier post and only then noted you had suggested remittent too. I am just mentioing this to avoid confusion, as there are no red warnings of other posts made when amending one of your own posts). ::)
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And while I was amending my post both of you came up with similar thoughts.
I didn't get to remittent though. ;)
I did get red warnings!! :)
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And while I was amending my post both of you came up with similar thoughts.
I didn't get to remittent though. ;)
This has got me a spot of bother in the past - I was accused of copying someone, so I like to try to clear this up if it happens. I also only amend posts within a few minutes of writing, as I know some people don't like it when posts are changed. :)
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As for the word between "moderate and "quinine" and the little scrawl after that ... I can't see anything that fits.
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I can't figure out the middle word in the remarks either. Wonder if it relates to the - "if completely recovered from;" section of the remarks.
I've only just gone back to see the amendments. I often never think to do that :P
sami
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Could the middle word be some sort of abbreviation or brand name for clindamycin which was often used with quinine?
Peter
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I thought it should relate to the heading too sami, but still can't work it out.
It could be an abbreviation Peter. It seems to have a c, l, i and m or n in it. :-\
The tiny word at the end may also be an abbreviation, or some of the ink is missing.
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Just a note to say how I'm just sitting back in amazement at how you all work through this stuff and the amount of combined expertise. It's really mind-boggling to watch and I am very appreciative to you all.
I think the guesses are on the right track. I recall someone saying that the patient in question, who was one of my ggrandfathers,died of a malaria related illness. At the time of this exam he had recently re-enlisting for another 12 years. He had already been in the army for 21 years ( since 13 ) so he was only 34. He had been pronounced "fit" a few months earlier.
A year after his re-enlistment he resigned and he died 5 years later. His wife also died about the same time and it was mentioned that there was an outbreak of Malaria. There was also bubonic plague in Hong Kong in 1894 but that would have killed them quickly. I would think the Malaria may have weakened him to the degree that he had to leave the army, and probably contributed to his early demise.
Thank you so much
Brian
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Clinda'mycin' on the end suggests antibiotic . . . . talking through my head here,
but there wouldn't have been antibiotics around in 1895, of that I am sure.
do you think the word at the end of the treatement means rec(recommended)?
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Could that be a dash or hyphen after the word moderate, so the doctor might have been saying that his condition was classed as moderate-severe for example? I can't decide what the word is, though. I want it to say critical, but can't get it to!
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Sorry but would Clinda'mycin' have been around in 1895
Just a thought
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Just what I said Spices (#12) :) I agree.
- and no it wouldn't. Antibiotics weren't around until much later - during or soon after WWII I think. I know my Aunt was still using Sulphonamides in WWII
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I believe it reads ...
Moderate - climate - quinine rec
A moderate attack (of whatever fever), induced by the climate, treated with quinine, and recovered.
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I am glad you said that because 'climate' was what I was seeing too - but I couldn't see why it would be there.
Reasonable assumption I think.
Wiggy
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but I couldn't see why it would be there.
The column heading asks ... How induced. Climate is a commonly found response to that question on army medical forms.
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Ahh - thanks!! :)
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Having the colon after Rem is curious though ....
I think the colon simply signifies that the word has been abbreviated. I do quite a bit of transcribing of old documents and a colon is frequently used in this way. If I'm incorrect Bookbox will put me on the right track :)
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Agreed, JenB :)
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Thanks Jen. I was expecting a list or something after the colon. :) An abbreviation makes more sense.
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Thanks to all! Do you folks never sleep? :) I just woke up and here in Canada and as usual, you've come through with an answer! It looks very reasonable to be. Moderate-climate-quinine-rec
Sincere thanks
Brian
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Just what I said Spices (#12) :) I agree.
- and no it wouldn't. Antibiotics weren't around until much later - during or soon after WWII I think. I know my Aunt was still using Sulphonamides in WWII
Sorry Wiggy I missed reading your post #12