Death in 1845
By: Jeremy M., Jeff S., and Paul P.
What did the people die from in 1845?
What was the most common type of death?
What was the average life expectancy?
Dr. Alden's Report of Ludlow deaths in 1845
A History of Ludlow
The source
we examined was a letter written by a Dr. W.B. Alden, who wrote to a Mr. Elias
Frost on December 30, 1845. The letter showed how many deaths there were
in 1845 in Ludlow. It also lists the causes of death, the age at death,
what sex the person was, and how many people died from the same thing. This
is a firsthand, written account because Alden was a doctor and he was specific
on how people died and what the causes were. For example, one male, aged
four months, died from “cholera infantum,” which was a fatal form
of inflammation in the stomach. Another reason this letter was written
was to show church ministers who had died, and also to see if any of the people
had went to the church or not.
According to Dr. Alden’s letter, the total number of deaths in 1845 in Ludlow was 35, including men, women, and children. 1 in every 38 people, out of the entire population, died. That year, he says that more people in Ludlow died than in any other major city except New Orleans. This confused Dr. Alden because he claimed there was no major “Epidemic.” The two most common causes of death were “fits” and “scarlet fever.” The average age for death was 23 through 24 years of age, according to Dr. Alden. The children were the most common to die, in fact, 18 children died between the ages of one day to six years. This letter tells us that people were interested in the number of deaths in Ludlow in 1845, and also about some of the ways people died. It also told us that some diseases could not be cured.
We looked up the definitions of the deaths and you can read them below.
Definitions of the deaths
Consumption-the act of consuming, as by use, decay, or destruction
Marasmus-malnutrition occurring in infants and young children, caused by insufficient intake of calories or protein and characterized by thinness, dry skin, poor muscle development, and irritability
Hemorrhage-a profuse discharge of blood, as from a ruptured blood vessel; bleeding
Inflammation of the bowels-redness, swelling, pain, tenderness, heat, and disturbed function of an area of the body, especially as a reaction of tissues to injurious agents
Scrofula-a form of tuberculosis affecting the lymph nodes, especially of the neck, that is most common in children and is usually spread by unpasteurized milk from infected cows; also called struma
Child bed-death by giving birth to a baby
Fits-a seizure or convulsion, especially one caused by epilepsy
Carcinoma or Cancer-a malignant and invasive epithelial tumor that spreads by metastasis and often recurs after incision; cancer
Scarlet fever-a contagious febrile disease caused by streptococci and characterized by a scarlet eruption
Drowned-To kill by submerging and suffocating in water or another liquid
Erysipelas- febrile infectious disease, caused by a specific streptococcus, characterized by diffusely spreading deep-red inflammation of the skin or mucous membranes
Dysentery & Measles-an infectious disease marked by inflammation and ulceration of the lower part of the bowels, with diarrhea that becomes mucous and hemorrhagic
Cholera Infantum- an often fatal form of gastroenteritis occurring in infants, not of the same cause as cholera but having somewhat similar characteristics
Debility- a particular mental or physical handicap; disability
Fever- an abnormal condition of the body, characterized by undue rise in temperature,
quickening of the pulse, and disturbance of various body functions