Genealogy Chat

Thank you, should have thought of that!! Doesn't sound very nice does it!

What is this, had it on a death cert today person was only 20??........Thanks Diane

Googled this for your information! Abscess - brain; Cerebral abscess; CNS abscess Definition Return to top A brain abscess is a mass of immune cells, pus, and other material that can occur when the brain is infected by bacteria or fungus. Causes, incidence, and risk factors Return to top Brain abscesses commonly occur when bacteria or fungi infect part of the brain. Inflammation develops in response. Infected brain cells, white blood cells, and live and dead microorganisms collect in a limited area of the brain. This area becomes enclosed by a membrane that forms around it and creates a mass. While this immune response can protect the brain by isolating the infection, it can also do more harm than good. The brain swells in response to the inflammation, and the mass may put pressure on delicate brain tissue. Infected material can block the blood vessels of the brain, further damaging tissues by causing cell death and swelling of additional cells. Multiple abscesses are uncommon except in immunocompromised patients. The bacteria or fungi can reach the brain through the blood, by traveling from a neighboring infected area, or by direct contamination from an injury or surgery. Most commonly, the infectious organism reaches the brain via the bloodstream. The source of the infectious organism is often not found. When identified, the most common source is a lung infection. In children with congenital heart disease or defect, such as those born with Tetralogy of Fallot, infections are more able to reach the brain from other sources (such as the intestines or teeth). Also, individuals with Osler-Weber-Rendu syndrome and similar conditions are prone to developing brain abscesses. A brain abscess can develop by direct extension from an adjacent infected area. For example, infections of the middle ear and mastoid sinuses can spread to the brain. A brain abscess can develop following a penetrating trauma through the skull, such as a gun or knife wound. This risk of infection is higher if fragments and dead tissue are left behind, and if antibiotic therapy is not started immediately. Surgery, especially when the air sinuses were opened or a foreign body was left in the brain (intracranial pressure monitor, stimulating electrode), can result in an infection. Symptoms may develop gradually or suddenly. There may be little or no sign of general infection throughout the body. Early symptoms are usually headache, muscle weakness, visual changes, difficulty with balance or coordination, or seizures. People at higher risk of developing a brain abscess include those with right-to-left heart shunts, a chronic debilitating illness like cancer, who are immunocompromised (such as AIDS patients) and those taking immunosuppressants (corticosteroids). Symptoms Return to top Headache Stiff neck, shoulders, or back Aching of neck, shoulders, or back Vomiting Changes in mental status Drowsiness Confusion Inattention Irritability Slow thought processes Decreasing responsiveness Eventual coma Seizures Fever and chills Localized loss of nerve functions (focal neurologic deficits) Vision changes Muscle function/feeling loss Decreased sensation Decreased movement Weakness Decreased speech (aphasia) Other language difficulties Loss of coordination Note: Symptoms may develop gradually, over a period of 2 weeks, or they may develop suddenly. Once symptoms occur, they progressively worsen

Abscess - a collection of pus; Cerebral - of the brain. Liz

No Diane, Not pleasent at all, poor thing!

This was in 1884 he was a bricklayer. Makes you wonder how it came about!!

He was my gt.grandfather x2. So I suppose I am lucky to be here, gt.grandmother was 18 months old when he died.!