Online 1911 encyclopedia

[ninatoo]

Hi all,

I was looking for a definition of general paralysis yesterday (which was the cause of death for one of my rellies who died in the Abbey Asylum) and was led to this site:

http://encyclopedia.jrank.org/

It is an online encyclopedia for 1911. It is a little bit cumbersome to get around, but useful nevertheless...

Have a look at what it says for general paralysis!!! I had never considered that the way the medical world of past defined this term would be so different from today.

Nina

[Russell]

Hi Nina

Some diseases should not be talked about in the best families and General Paralysis was a neutral euphemism for an embarrassing condition.
Over 10% of cases of Syphillis ended up affecting the Nervous System and, if left untreated, gradually damaged motor function as well as intellect. BUT! treatment could be expensive and often the condition was not diagnosed until too late anyway.
Asylums had a fair sprinkling of GPI's right into the 1950's.
Treatment was normally carried out by the psychiatrists of that time who had many other clinical skills as well as a good bedside manner.
The real problem was when a woman who was infected gave birth to a baby who could have a wide range of physical disabilities and abnormalities.
With the advent of penicillin derivatives cure was straightforward but it had to be recognised first~!!

Does anyone remember the Wasserman and Kahn blood tests that were done during pregnancy ?
That's what they were for. To eliminate General Paralysis. And they did!!

Three cheers for the NHS

Russell

[ninatoo]

Oh goodness Russell,

I am now wondering if that rellie (ctually he was the second husband of my blood rellie) was indeed part of the ten percent. His wife died of "Cerebral Haemorrhage, paralysis three years". Poor thing. If he had it, she had it....

That definition could also, in the beginning stages look like motor neuron disease I think, and also MS. But then the symptoms of insanity changes things...

On another death registration, I have the cause of death as "Syphilitic ulcers of the groin" ICK! We knew about this one. My mum always told me an Uncle Hughie died in the asylum...she never knew what put him there however.

So sad to think about, really.

Nina

[Russell]

Hi Nina

I don't think the second one 'Cerebral Haemorrhage with paralysis was associated with GPI. More likely to have been a Stroke which left them with a paralysis down one side but often resulted in chest infections because of the loss of mobility.
No physiotherapists to thump your back or antibiotics to cure all ills.
Ohhh..... Am I glad they had just invented Penicillin in my childhood days

Russell