Genealogy Chat

Suggestions, please, as to the meaning of the term 't.m.'?

I have recently seen some notes taken during a conversation of about 50 years ago, when a gentleman born near the end of the 19th century was talking about my 3 x gt.-grandfather:

"He speculated in building and lost his money. He suffered from t.m."

(I am not sure whether t.m. is a medical term, or if it is related to the fact my ancestor lost his money!)

The only medical information I have on my ancestor is that he died quite young in 1843, of an asthma attack.

I have tried looking on a couple of archaic medical terms websites (Rudy's List, Paul Smith's), but nothing leaps out as being the obvious meaning.

Help much appreciated!
Helen

The only medical abreviation I can find for this is:-

T.M. - Tympanic Membrane.

It's something to do with the ear drum.

Kath. x

Thanks for looking, Kath.

There's also Tabes Mesenterica (tuberculosis of the lymph glands inside the abdomen), Trench Mouth and Typhoid Malarial fever. The last two sound a bit unlikely as he never left England, as far as I know!

I wonder if it is a legal abreviation for people not paying him for work done or ripping him off, losing his money by trusting people who who basically took the mick out of him [taking the mick is not T M as far as I know]

That's a thought, Vera - a legal term, perhaps?

nudge for the evening, please?

I wonder if its something amusing? Not being facetious but whether its a sort of term like my aunt will say "they arent PLU" - meaning people like us. That sort of thing??

Thanks, Heather - you've just given me an idea.

Perhaps it means 'Trades Man'? (My ancestor was a hairdresser who married a lady whose brothers were gentlemen farmers). Can you 'suffer' from 'tradesman' syndrome??!!!