Genealogy Chat

Thanks everyone. The wierd thing is her daughter died on the same day, so maybe she had it too. I guess I will be ordering another death cartificate. Jennifer

it sounds a really terrible way to die. mind you its better than poor great aunt Princess - her cause of death was.... diahhorea.

Jennifer According to the Merriam-Webster on-line dictionary, phthisis (note the spelling) is: a progressively wasting or consumptive condition; especially pulmonary tuberculosis. Etymology: Latin, from Greek, from phthinein to waste away. David

Jennifer I think I may have indicated that is was a 'male' thing - as you have proved, that is not the case. I think one of the Bronte sisters died of this. Hazel

Thanks Margaret and Hazel. :) My relative was a 33 year old female. Jennifer

Jennifer, Many of my male relatives died with this. It is was we know as a kind of T.B. sometimes referred to as'Galloping Consumption'. It was an industrial type thing usually 'caught' by Stonemason, Coal Miners etc. Many of my rellies were stone-cutters in the Yorkshire Dales and they (the male side) died very young (between 23 and 37) with this; a couple became 'disabled' and could then only perform tasks from home e.g. repairing boots/clocks/selling cups of tea as and when their condition allowed. Hope this helps you with your research. Hazel Dalgety Bay Scotland

Jennifer Phithisis is Tuberculosis. I think the exhaustion bit means they just passed away. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong I always put the cause of death into a search engine or dictionary. It usually finds what I am looking for. Margaret

I just recieved a death certificate I ordered and the cause of death is listed as 'phithisis acute exhaustion'. Anyone know what this means?