CAuse of death ?

[Germaine]

Debilty from birth.
Have this on a babies death cert age 4 months.
Does anyone know exactly what it means.
Looked at old illnesses etc. and it says.
Debility - Lack of movement or staying in bed.
Do you think this meant the poor little mite was born disabled and would never have been able to move.
Germaine
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[strawberrymivvy]

Germaine

I've just done a quick Google search and come up with several references to debility, anything from the doctors not knowing precise cause of death, to TB. However in children I found a reference to it specifically meaning emaciation, or wasting away. Seemingly The Lancet in 1908 actually refers to debility as an actual cause of death, meaning emaciation, though I imagine nowadays we'd see that as a symtom rather than a cause.

Perhaps as you say either a birth defect, or maybe a cancer?

[Jeuel]

4 months is very young to have cancer. I'd assume this meant the baby was born disabled, but there could have been a variety of causes - spina bifida, cerebral palsy, etc. The earlier the cert the vaguer the terms.

[Germaine]

Thanks everyone yes I think he was a little too young for cancer also with it being from birth. Also spina bifida, cerebral palsy, etc looks good have just thought the mother had a granchild disabled in 1906 I think from birth so could be something heredity and her first child to her husband died very young wonder if that was the same thing. This was in the 1880's
Thanks again
Germaine
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[Peter Goodey]

Debility just means physical weakness, perhaps just undefined illness. 'Debility since birth' may mean no more than that the baby had always been sickly and finally succumbed. You shouldn't expect a very modern diagnosis on old certificates.

[Germaine]

Thanks Peter. Times were hard then weren't they so yes you are right maybe just a sickly baby.
Germaine
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[davyr]

"Debility" may possibly refer to what is now called "Failure to Thrive":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Failure_to_thrive

[Germaine]

Thank you that is interesting.
Germaine
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