Death at Durham County Asylum

[kabeja]

We recently got a death certificate for a relative who died in 1908 in the County Asylum in Durham at Sedgefield and there are some questions it raises which i am hoping Rootschaters will be able to help us with.
Firstly, the place of death is stated on the certificate as being in the County Asylum Mortuary. Would a person have been taken to the mortuary to actually die ? It seems strange to me. Can anyone shed any light on why this may be so ?
Secondly, as far as i'm aware the County Hospital was a mental institution yet the death certificate says the cause of death was "General paralysis caused by an accident whilst following his employment". He was a miner. I have no information yet as to when the actual accident took place.
Was there also a medical part to the County Asylum ?
If not, does anyone have any idea why someone would be there after a seemingly nasty accident at work ?
He was living in Quebec up in West Durham at the time, why would he have been taken to Sedgefield ? He had a wife, siblings and other family in and around Quebec at the time. Also i have found a death record for him at St Josephs, Patrick and Cuthbert in Cornforth which is a fair distance from Quebec where i would have expected him to be buried. Any ideas why Cornforth ?
There was an inquest held for which i have not been able to see the record of so far as i live abroad and will not be visiting in the near future. Maybe the answers lie in that.
Any ideas on the answers to the above questions would be gratefully received. Many thanks in advance.
Kabeja.

[durhamgirl73]

Hi can you give us your relatives name, date of birth and place of birth to be getting on with thankyou

[Pennines]

There is a website detailing coal mining accidents and deaths, but whether your ancestor will be included in the circumstances -- I'm not sure -- worth a look though.

http://www.cmhrc.co.uk/site/disasters/

I cannot imagine anyone being taken to a mortuary to die -- seems odd. As a matter of interest, my Gt Grandfather died in an asylum - due to 'general paralysis'-- I have never been sure whether that meant he was paralysed or not. His admission papers don't say that he was. However I can see that your ancestor could have been paralysed due to the accident.

We may be able to find a newspaper report if we have his name.

[kabeja]

Hi can you give us your relatives name, date of birth and place of birth to be getting on with thankyou

Hello Durhamgirl,
His name was James Barnen, he was born in Queens County, Ireland in 1867.
We pretty much have all his details worked out through the English censuses and marriage. His surname does have variations but we have managed to locate him in all the census from 1871 until 1901 as well as his marriage to Mary Ann Leary in 1900 at Esh Laude.
My query is to why would he have ended up in the County Asylum for what appears to be a medical condition. Also, why would his place of death be given as the mortuary ? I would have expected him to be taken there after death.

[stanmapstone]

As a matter of interest, my Gt Grandfather died in an asylum - due to 'general paralysis'-- I have never been sure whether that meant he was paralysed or not.

General Paralysis could be General Paralysis of the Insane, caused by Syphilis.

Stan

[kabeja]

There is a website detailing coal mining accidents and deaths, but whether your ancestor will be included in the circumstances -- I'm not sure -- worth a look though.

http://www.cmhrc.co.uk/site/disasters/

I cannot imagine anyone being taken to a mortuary to die -- seems odd. As a matter of interest, my Gt Grandfather died in an asylum - due to 'general paralysis'-- I have never been sure whether that meant he was paralysed or not. His admission papers don't say that he was. However I can see that your ancestor could have been paralysed due to the accident.

We may be able to find a newspaper report if we have his name.

Hello Pennines,
Thanks for the reply and the link, i'll have a look at the site to see if there is any information about James on there.
It is interesting that your Great Grandfather died in an asylum due to "general paralysis". I have assumed up until now that it meant a physical paralysis, maybe it is a term used to describe a mental affliction ? I cannot understand why he would be taken from Quebec to the County Asylum in Sedgefield for a physical condition after an accident at work. I'll try having a look for the term "general paralysis" in relation to a  mental condition

[Pennines]

Yes --- it's made me wonder if 'paralysis' related to something else connected with the mental condition. Stan has mentioned that it could be caused by 'Syphilis' -- oh my goodness, Stan -- his family would be horrified. They were staunch Methodists!

Puts a different slant on it completely.

[Mabel Bagshawe]

it could be related that brain damage suffered in the accident led to unusual behaviours (hence the asylum) or other physical problems such as catatonic episodes or epilepsy which might be dealt with in an asylum in those days

Given the specific reference to the accident on the death cert, i think syphilis less likely.

[kabeja]

General Paralysis could be General Paralysis of the Insane, caused by Syphilis.

Stan

Well that would certainly put another angle on it Stan.   

In James' case it definitely says "general paralysis caused by an accident whilst following his employment". Why was he in the County hospital though ? Do you know if there was a medical section  to the hospital or was it solely for mental conditions ?