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What was the Cause?
The Center for Archival Collections currently holds on 86 reels of microfilm, the death
records and certificates for the city of Toledo from 1858 through 1940. These records
allow researchers a glimpse into society when the city of Toledo was first being settled
and the surrounding swamps drained. Many of the hazards of life along the Maumee River at
that time may not be appreciated by today's residents. Similarly, many common causes of
death are not so common today. Often, researchers using these records are unfamiliar with
the terms listed, as they have been replaced by more specific medical terminology. A brief
description of various terms used in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century
documents follows.
- Addison's Disease
- Anemic condition caused by kidney disease
- Apoplexy
- Stroke. This term dates back to the time of Hippocrates.
- Bright's Disease
- Another form of kidney disease, covering many of the terms in use today. In its acute
form, it is called nephritis.
- Carditis (myocarditis)
- Inflammation of the heart wall; also covers many of the terms used today in reference to
the heart.
- Catarrh (catarrhal bronchitis)
- Inflammatory affection of a mucous membrane, especially the nose and air passages. This
term was widely used in period advertisements for cold remedies.
- Chorea (St. Vitus' Dance)
- Used to identify any nervous disorder.
- Consumption (phthisis pulmonalia)
- Tuberculosis. "Consumption" was commonly used in the days when there was no
effective treatment of the disease which was characterized by a gradual wasting away of
the body.
- Diphtheria
- An infectious disease which could be spread by infected milk, it occurred mostly in
autumn and winter and claimed predominantly children as its victims. The term is still
used today, but the disease itself was much more common in the days before vaccination.
- Dropsy (anasarca)
- Referred to a swelling, whether general or localized, such as ascites, which was
dropsy of the abdomen.
- Enteritis
- Inflammation of the intestines, could also take the form of enteric fever (typhoid).
- Grave's Disease
- Disorder of the thyroid gland. This term is still in use today.
- Inanition
- Most commonly found in reference to infants and the elderly. It signified death from the
inability to assimilate food, probably caused by illness, or, in the case of infants,
premature birth.
- La Grippe
- Another term which enjoyed widespread use in medical advertisements, is today known as
the flu.
- Lues
- Syphilis.
- Marasmus
- Progressive emaciation. In infants, it was associated with feeding problems.
- Membranous croup
- Marked by a hoarse, ringing cough, it could bring on death if the membrane blocked the
trachea.
- Milksick
- One of the few causes of death not found to some extent today, was not actually a
disease, but a form of poisoning. Cows could ingest the leaves of the white snakeroot
plant and pass along its toxin in their milk. The cause of milksick was identified in the
early part of this century by E. L. Moseley, a professor at Bowling Green State
University.
- Neurasthenia
- Neurotic condition characaterized by worry, disturbances of digestion and circulation
and attributed to emotional conflict and feelings of inferiority.
- Pott's Disease
- Degeneration of the vertebrae, often resulting in curvature of the spine.
- Quinsy (quincy)
- Severe attack of tonsilitis which resulted in abscess near the tonsils.
- Septicemia
- Blood poisoning, often resulted in death in the days before antibiotics.
- Summer complaint
- Euphemism for dysentery. It was known as such because of its high incidence in
sumer. Along with cholera infantum, it was highly infectious and was usually the
result of environmental conditions.
- Typhoid (typhoid fever)
- Often caused by unsanitary water conditions and contaminated food or milk. Flies could
carry the disease and contaminate food supplies. It was more common in swampy areas where
shallow wells could become contaminated.
--Susan M. Hughes
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