medical question 1884

[bykerlads]

we have an ancestor who died aged 34 on Tyneside in 1884. The death cert. gives "cancer of rectum + exhaustion " as cause of death.
I don't know much about the history of medical science so I'd be interested to know:
- what if any treatment the man would have had, given that he was a labourer/boilersmith and therefore of limited means?
- how was the cause of death determined? on the cert. it states " certified by + doctor's name"- would he have relied on symptoms or would a post-mortum have been done?
- I'm surprised that they knew it was definitely cancer without modern investigation methods.
All comments welcome, it would be good to get a clearer picture of the poor chap's situation.

[Bilge]

Bowel cancer is today a pretty nasty illness. In those days I suspect that he would have had a very painful death with a great deal of blood loss which is probally why one of the causes was exhaustion.

Intresting reading here: http://www.healthandfinesse.com/tag/colon-cancer/

[maryd]

You could check the name of the doctor....if the name is a local GP then a post mortem is unlikely. Local newpapers may record the opening of an inquest usually associated with unexpected death. Cancer of the rectum may be diagnosed (in those days) by the prescence of a 'mass' in the rectum, with bleeding. Microscopic examination of cell tissue would not be available....
maryd

[stanmapstone]

This is what the 1874 Act states:
(2.) In case of the death of any person who has been attended during his last illness by a registered medical practi­tioner, that practitioner shall sign and give to some person required by this Act to give information con­cerning the death a certificate stating to the best of his knowledge and belief the cause of death, and such person shall, upon giving information concerning the death, or giving notice of the death, deliver that certificate to the registrar, and the cause of death as stated in that certificate shall be entered in the register, together with the name of the certifying medical practitioner:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~framland/acts/1874Act.htm

Stan

[stanmapstone]

- how was the cause of death determined? on the cert. it states " certified by + doctor's name"- would he have relied on symptoms or would a post-mortum have been done?

If there had been a postmortem, and an inquest, the informant on the death certificate would have been the coroner. But as he was under medical care and the death certified then an inquest would not have been held.
There were 15,194 deaths from cancer in the registrar generals report for 1884

Stan

[maidmarion]

The cancer itself would cause the exhaustion and it may have been that the tumour was visible ie. anal cancer.

Untreated colorectal or anal cancer would have been so very very painful and eventually the tumour would cause an obstruction.

We are so lucky today being able to treat and often cure this horrendous disease.

[Jeuel]

Although modern techniques for diagnosis are much more advanced, cancer as a disease had been recognised for centuries.

If there had been a post mortem, it would be stated on the death cert.

[bykerlads]

Thanks, folks - very interesting comments.
As regards the possible causes of the cancer in a young man, could one deduce that one factor could be  the possible exposure to chemicals, industrial pollutants etc which he may have worked amongst in Byker , Newcastle on Tyne in the 1870's/80's? He was, according to census and other documents, "striker to boilermaker", " boilermaker",  "shipyard labourer".

[Bilge]

https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/bitstream/handle/1887/13523/02.pdf?sequence=16

There is some suggestion that constipation and excessive drinking of beer can cause rectal cancer. I don't suppose exposure to chemicals, industrial pollutants would have helped either but I cannot find any specific suggestion.