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Death certificate

Kate

Kate

LostCousins Member
Hello,
I obtained a death cert and the cause of death is paraplegia, cardiac failure. Does this mean he was already a paraplegic and then had a heart attack? If so, what would cause paraplegia? Maybe an accident? He was a storekeeper in an iron works and died in a workhouse infirmary some way from home, so maybe it was near his work. This was 1908. Thank you.
 
Paraplegia is impairment or loss of motor or sensory function in areas of the body served by the thoracic, lumbar, or sacral neurological segments owing to damage of neural elements in those parts of the spinal column. It spares the upper limbs but, depending on the level, may involve the trunk, pelvic organs, or lower limbs. This term is correctly used for describing cauda equina and conus medullaris injuries, but should not be used to refer to lumbosacral plexus lesions or injury to peripheral nerves outside the neural canal.
In the majority of cases, paraplegia results from disease or injury of the spinal cord that causes interference with nerve paths connecting the brain and the muscles. Conditions that may result in such interference include physical injuries, haemorrhage, tuberculosis, tumour, and syphilis. The loss of ability to use the legs may be accompanied by a loss of sensation in them and,in some cases, by loss of control over the bowel and bladder.
Workhouse were used by poor people as hospitals today and usually you could only use the one in your parish of residence, they may have transferred him to somewhere where he had a chance of better treatment or he may have moved shortly before.
Cardiac failure it not normally associated with paraplegia, although some conditions that cause it may also lead to cardiac problems so an accident seems less likely.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thank you. I don't think he moved shortly before as his home address is given with his name and he was buried close to home. So either he was moved from Dartford to Newington or was admitted to Newington in the first place. I may have to accept that there are some things I will never know!
 
Ah, the 'accept there are things you will never know" problem. I have an ever growing list of things I expect never to know. Occasionally some new information does come to light and I have a 'oh! that explains that moment,' but they are rare.
 
Check whether the workhouse/infirmary records from that period have survived - you might be lucky.
 
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