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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: Elliebean54 on Sunday 01 November 20 22:30 GMT (UK)

Title: Help deciphering certificates
Post by: Elliebean54 on Sunday 01 November 20 22:30 GMT (UK)
Hello all I’m having problems deciphering a couple of death certificates I’d really appreciate some help with, both relating to cause of death.

The first one the primary cause is given as endocarditis if the mitral valve, but then it seems to have a secondary bit after the number 2 months then some letters and I can’t make sense of whether it’s to do with the length of time she was sick or an abbreviation related to a secondary cause of death?

The second one I’m struggling with 2 words. I read it as “___ enteritis Tuberculosis of ___ renal”

The last query is more related to a hospital abbreviation but I wasn’t sure where to put it. It’s either V.W or U.W. and is recorded as a reason for admission to a naval hospital in 1914. I’m guessing it might be STD related bearing in mind said ancestor ultimately died of tertiary syphilis years later and had a pretty wild reputation to say the least, but it would be good to know for sure what it means.

Thank you for your time
Title: Re: Help deciphering certificates
Post by: Treetotal on Sunday 01 November 20 22:34 GMT (UK)
The second line in the first one says, No PM...Post Mortem. the second says Supra-Renal I think.
Carol
Title: Re: Help deciphering certificates
Post by: philipsearching on Sunday 01 November 20 22:37 GMT (UK)
No 2:
Catarrhal
    enteritis
Tuberculosis of
    supra-renal
Title: Re: Help deciphering certificates
Post by: Ray T on Sunday 01 November 20 22:47 GMT (UK)
The first one says “Endocarditis of mitral valve 2 months”.
Title: Re: Help deciphering certificates
Post by: Jamjar on Sunday 01 November 20 23:12 GMT (UK)
No 2:
Catarrhal
    enteritis
Tuberculosis of
    supra-renal

It’s correct and an Internet search will provide some interesting reading on the conditions.

Also, agree with no pm = no post-mortem.
Title: Re: Help deciphering certificates
Post by: Elliebean54 on Monday 02 November 20 13:58 GMT (UK)
Thank you so much to everyone that took the time to reply I really appreciate it  :)

We’re on a mission to try to resolve a few old family stories once and for all and I’ve got another pile of documents due in about a week so I may be back ...
Title: Re: Help deciphering certificates
Post by: Elliebean54 on Saturday 07 November 20 13:14 GMT (UK)
Hi everyone I have another one a single word cause of death I’ve not been able to make out at all. Any help much appreciated
Title: Re: Help deciphering certificates
Post by: josey on Saturday 07 November 20 13:23 GMT (UK)
Marasmus - severe malnutrition.
Title: Re: Help deciphering certificates
Post by: Elliebean54 on Saturday 07 November 20 14:19 GMT (UK)
Marasmus - severe malnutrition.

Thank you

That’s quite brutal I can only think he must have had some underlying condition that interfered with his ability to eat or digest his food. He was 18months old 1890s but although they were fairly poor they weren’t in abject poverty and he had 4 healthy siblings alive at this time who weren’t starved as kids or have to spend time in the workhouse like quite a few of my ancestors did. Poor mite
Title: Re: Help deciphering certificates
Post by: Treetotal on Saturday 07 November 20 14:33 GMT (UK)
Maybe he was being breastfed and the Mum was malnourished, she wouldn't know that it would affect the child or how much nourishment he was getting. Mothers often were the worse fed in lean times  :-\
Carol
Title: Re: Help deciphering certificates
Post by: Elliebean54 on Saturday 07 November 20 15:24 GMT (UK)
Maybe he was being breastfed and the Mum was malnourished, she wouldn't know that it would affect the child or how much nourishment he was getting. Mothers often were the worse fed in lean times  :-\
Carol

That’s very true. It’s also got to be significant he died 11 days after his mother was buried - she has such a common name we’re still tracking down her death certificate to get an exact date and cause of death. But other burials all seem to happen within a week so I’m guessing she died (also in an infirmary) 2-3 weeks before he did suggesting she may not have been in a position to feed or care for him properly.

It’s heart breaking really. He was my grandmothers younger brother and her dad made such a good and devoted job of raising the 4 young children he was left with on his own and always spoke openly about the child he lost which in itself was unusual at a time when most other infants were never spoken about again. It’s awful to think he just wasted away. The certificate says his father was with him when he died :(