medical terms

**anneoctober** · 02-Feb-09, 14:30

Can anyone point me in the direction of explanation for medical terms used on death certificates? Thanks in advance.

**Sage** · 02-Feb-09, 15:03

Here are a couple to get you started...

http://rmhh.co.uk/medical.html

http://www.cyndislist.com/medical.htm

There are loads of genealogical sites out there

**anneoctober** · 02-Feb-09, 20:20

Thanks, Sage ! Unfortunately either my relative died of some disease as yet unknown to mankind or e doctor canna spell..................

excellent links mwuh

**domino** · 02-Feb-09, 20:47

Can you enlarge on what it is you are after?

**Sage** · 02-Feb-09, 20:47

what did it say on the death cert? I may have come across it...

Im sure there is a better site than the ones I posted but my brain is slowly dissolving and I cant remember the site name

**anneoctober** · 03-Feb-09, 11:03

My ggg granny died from SERUCTUS - or at least that's what it looks like. However she made it to a ripe old 90 yrs !! Any help much appreciated.

**poppett** · 03-Feb-09, 13:03

I have used this word in scrabble, believing it to mean "old age". Don`t know where I learned it from, but Websters dictionary was a favourite in our house when I was young.

Have you tried "googling" medical dictionary, then if it doesn`t come up with a definition it may offer words of similar spellings.

Good luck in your search.

**helenwyler** · 04-Feb-09, 09:47

Hi Anne

Could the handwriting possibly be deciphered as:

Scirrhus:
A hard, dense cancerous growth usually arising from connective tissue

I got this from http://rmhh.co.uk/illness.html a website listing illnesses encountered in genealogy.

Good Luck!

**Sage** · 04-Feb-09, 11:02

I've searched for Seructus and cant find it mentioned anywhere!

**anneoctober** · 04-Feb-09, 12:22

Originally Posted by Sage

I've searched for Seructus and cant find it mentioned anywhere!

Me too ! I've been back to the death cert. and that is what is written down and it's quite legible, for once ! Google was no help - maybe Poppette's "old age" is probable with ggg granny being 90 when she passed?

**Loafer** · 04-Feb-09, 21:08

Slightly different query, but still relating to death certs. On one of my ancester's DC, it looks like "Surgeon who GAMMED the deceased".

Any ideas on GAMMED???

The Loafer

**Bonnie Parker-Duke** · 05-Feb-09, 01:20

Webster's New world Collegiate Dictionary says that "gam" means to visit or visit socially. Hope this is of assistance.

**Skifter** · 05-Feb-09, 18:37

I have copies of a few death certificates where the cause of death is given as senectus. This is death from old age.

**anneoctober** · 06-Feb-09, 10:49

Originally Posted by Skifter

I have copies of a few death certificates where the cause of death is given as senectus. This is death from old age.

Thank you very much for that Skifter, makes sense with her age. Will file that for future reference. Anne xx

**Angela** · 06-Feb-09, 19:55

That's interesting to know.

I hadn't come across that term at all.

All the death certificates I've found where the person was very old, and there was no more specific cause of death, mention 'debility of old age', 'senile debility' and just plain 'old age.'

I've a fair few centenarians in my family!

**anneoctober** · 07-Feb-09, 10:07

Originally Posted by Angela

That's interesting to know.

I hadn't come across that term at all.

All the death certificates I've found where the person was very old, and there was no more specific cause of death, mention 'debility of old age', 'senile debility' and just plain 'old age.'

I've a fair few centenarians in my family!

Thats good news for the Org Angela - You're gonna be around for quite some time yet......