Cause of death

[NOTSHARP]

 
 Cause of death, Hernia? Or???

 Five days after an operation, I would guess blood poisoning, or the operation was too late.

 Things would not have been good in 1848.

 If anyone sees other than Hernia, please give your suggestions.




  Steve.

[shanghaipanda]

It looks a bit long for hernia doesn't it, and I'm not sure that would be a cause of death.  I wonder about haematemesis?

[*Sandra*]

Sprawling writing -  I agree - Hernia - 5 days after operation

Could be  Pulmonary disease or sepsis as a secondary cause perhaps.

Sandra

[NOTSHARP]

It looks a bit long for hernia doesn't it, and I'm not sure that would be a cause of death.  I wonder about haematemesis?

 Yes, it does look a bit long, but, maybe, the cause was blood poisoning, caused by a strangulated hernia.

 Would they even know what blood poisoning was, back then?




 Steve.

[Viktoria]

It says "Hernia,Five days after operation".
As has been mentioned a strangulated hernia would cause necrosis(dead tissue)which would infect the abdominal cavity and any faecal matter remaining in the bowel would too.
If the hernia burst inside then again the infection level would be sky high and the patient did not stand a chance.
I  really doubt there would be suction equipment so it would have been impossible to have a "Clean" site.
The poor soul was doomed really.I am not sure of the date when Lister started using an antiseptic
 but if this operation was performed without one ,given the fact it was a bowel operation then the chance of survival was very poor.                                              Viktoria.

[Annie65115]

No decent anaesthetic either, poor soul.

[NOTSHARP]

No decent anaesthetic either, poor soul.

 I read a very interesting paper last night, about care in Birmingham, and Wolverhampton, workhouses.

 No anaesthetic was authorised for use until the 1890's. So, no anaesthetic, and no antiseptic.

 He didn't stand much of a chance, but, It was what was available at the time.

 His first wife died in 1847, he married again in August, 1848, and was dead by December the same year.


 Hard times, by present day standards.


  Steve.

[chirp]

I would agree that it is Hernia. I think the style of writing (rather elongated) is what's causing the confusion. I have an ancestor who died in the 1870s of Strangulated Hernia but this is 1840s - maybe they were less precise with their medical terms at that time.