Other Diseases

   Some diseases that I had never heard of before that I found in the Original Interment Records include:

1. Dyspepsia which is called indigestion today.

2. Dipthera is a infection of the upper respiratory tract. Symptoms include: a 100.4 or higher fever, chills, fatigue, bluish skin, sore throat, hoarseness, cough, headache, having trouble swallowing, having trouble breathing, foul smelling bloodstained nasal discharge. Thanks to vaccines it was wiped out in the United States.

3. Dropsy is the swelling of soft tissues because of an accumulation of excess water.

4. Apoplexy used to refer to a death that was sudden which began with a loss of consciousness.

5. Cystitis is the "inflammation of the wall of the bladder".

6. Peritonitis is "inflammation of the thin tissue that lines the inner wall of the abdomen and covers most abdominal organs".

7. Erysipelas is " a skin infection that follows strep throat".

Most of the information came from Wikipedia, the other information came from medical sites.

Consumption

       One of the most common killers in the early days of the world and up to today is Consumption (which we now call Tuberculosis). The Ancient Greek Hippocrates identified it as the disease which was most widespread during his life (during which it was called phthisis). In 1882 Robert Koch discovered that was caused by a bacterial infection. Consumption is one disease that has caused more deaths than the black death, leprosy and HIV. It was called consumption because of the wasting away of the patient.

Some symptoms included cough which brings up mucus, tiredness, weight loss, fever and night sweats. Treating consumption/tuberculosis is difficult, it requires taking multiple antibiotics over a long time.

Drowning 3

       I have found four more drowning victims. I have only a photo of one their graves. I have not been able to find the other three's graves.

      The first one is Claude Thompson who drowned Aug 17, 1894. Here is the transcription from the article I found in the Aug 22, 1894 issue of the St. Lawrence Republican:

SAD ACCIDENT AT MADRID,

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Claude Thompson, a Boy 14 years of Age, is Drowned.

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Special dispatch to the REPUBLICAN & JOURNAL

MADRID, Aug 18.---Claude Thompson, a young man fourteen years of age, was drowned in the Grasse river Friday evening at 8 o' clock. He was out rowing, accompanied by Nelson Eveleth and Howard Lockwood, both younger than himself. Claude was rowing, the oar slipped, the skiff was overturned and the three were thrown into the river. Claude was too far from the shore for the boys to rescue him.

The alarm was spread and the boy's body was found and taken to the shore where every possible means was tried to resuscitate him, but without avail.

The lad was spending his vacation with his aunt, Mrs. Powell, his home being in Potsdam. His mother is visiting friends in Canada. She was telegraphed to this morning, but nothing has been heard yet. The remains were taken to the residence of Mrs. Powell.

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MADRID, Aug 17.---Claude Thompson, a lad of 14 years, was drowned in the Grasse river this evening about 8 o' clock. Nelson Eveleth and Howard Lockwood, both younger than the unfortunate lad, were in the boat, and Claude was rowing, the oars slipped and Claude suddenly springing to one side overturned the skiff and the three were thrown into the river. Eveleth caught the boat, but could not swing it so as to get within Claude's reach, and was compelled to swim to the bank. Lockwood swam to the bank, but Claude was too far from the shore for them to assist him. They hastened to spread the alarm, and in a brief time many men and boys were at hand to do all they could to rescue. Claude was found in the middle of the river, was hastily brought on shore and all possible means were tried to resuscitate but without avail. The lad was spending a vacation as a guest of Mrs. Julia M. Powell. His home is in Potsdam, and his widowed mother is visiting friends in Canada. The melancholy accident has caused a deep feeling of sadness and the bereaved mother has the deepest sympathy of all our people. Claude was a bright and very active lad, a genial enterprising playfellow and will be heartily mourned by the boys of his age and acquaintance.

Claude Thompson's Grave

    The next one was Flora Fell Austin who drowned Sept 17, 1896 at the age of 54 yrs.

    The next one was Albert Compton who drowned at Benson Mines on Jul 19, 1901 at the age of 25 yrs 11 mos 4 days.

   The last one was Edward Paquette who drowned Aug 4, 1903. Here is the transcription from the article I found in the Aug 12, 1908 issue of the Potsdam Courier & Freeman:

"Edward Paquette, a man about 33 years old was drowned at Sissonville Tuesday Night. He came up to the circus in the evening and was somewhat unsteady when he went back. His house was on the other side of the river, and there is a three foot floating foot bridge across the river above the dam which is used by the workmen in crossing the river. He started across this and fell in. Another employee who saw him fall hurried to the place with a plank but Paquette did not rise to the surface. The body was recovered a half hour later. He leaves a wife."

Cholera Morbus

      Another kind of Cholera I found in the original interment records is Cholera Morbus. It is an old term that was used in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was used to describe non epidemic Cholera and other gastrointestinal diseases that were like Cholera. Gastroenteritis is now used to describe the other diseases.

    Cholera is a an infection that occurs in the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibro cholerae. It can be transferred by drinking water or eating food that was contaminated by the feces of an infected person. Symptoms can start to show as early as half a day or late as five days after the ingestion of the bacteria. Symptoms include diarrhea and vomiting of clear fluid.

   Its called the "blue death" because a patient's skin can turn a bluish gray hue from extreme loss of fluids.

 

Cholera Infantum

      The original interment records from 1877-1988 that the Potsdam Public Museum has, includes a space for cause of death. Some of the causes of the death are not as common as they used to be so I decided that this month I would write about some of the causes of death. This article is about Cholera Infantum.

    Cholera Infantum is a fatal kind of gastroenteritis which occurs in children. It is not true Cholera but has some of the same symptoms. It is also part of "summer complaint" which comprises all of the different diseases of the digestive organs and brain which attacks children during the summer.