This is a real long-shot in an attempt to discover the father of an illegitimate child..... George Foskett, the illegitimate son of Charlotte Foskett, was born in Aston Clinton in 1845. I have just discovered that four of George's son's died as a result of haemophilia (uncontrolled bleeding). I believe that this disease is passed down the male line, so George's father was probably a carrier. Have any other lister's discovered haemophilia in any other Aston Clinton family? Regards Sandra

Georges sons almost certainly got it from their mother, & she most likely got it from her mother (certainly not her father) - etc., etc. A man has haemophilia if he inherits the gene for it from his mother. He cannot inherit it from his father, since the gene is on the X chromosome. Men have an X chromosome, from their mother, and a Y chromosome from their father. It's what makes them male. A woman has full haemophilia only if she inherits the gene from *both* parents, which is very rare. Women have two X chromosomes, one from each parent. It's what makes them female. That means that as well as the faulty gene, they have a second, healthy, copy, which protects them from the illness. All men with the gene suffer from the illness. Most women with the gene are healthy, & those who aren't usually have mild symptoms. But (on average) half their sons will have haemophilia, & half their daughters will be carriers. A female haemophiliac, if she has children (& consider for a moment her chances of surviving childbirth) would pass the gene on to all her children, but the girls would be healthy (or healthyish) carriers, unless their father also had haemophilia. So no, Georges sons didn't get it from him. It's very unlikely indeed he was a carrier, since if he had been he'd have been affected, & back then it would have been almost impossible for him to have lived long enough to father children. And in any case, male carriers can only pass it on to their daughters, not their sons. It can sometimes arise spontaneously, but since four of Georges sons had it, that's very unlikely indeed, in this case. http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/exhibitions/genes/215.asp Paul Sandra J Smith wrote: > This is a real long-shot in an attempt to discover the father of an illegitimate child..... > > George Foskett, the illegitimate son of Charlotte Foskett, was born in Aston Clinton in 1845. > I have just discovered that four of George's son's died as a result of haemophilia (uncontrolled bleeding). I believe that this disease is passed down the male line, so George's father was probably a carrier. Have any other lister's discovered haemophilia in any other Aston Clinton family? > > Regards > Sandra > _____________________________________________ > > Have you considered adding "postems" to "your" events on www.freebmd.org.uk , giving your contact details? Other researchers will then be able to make contact. Click on the info button to add your postem. > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ENG-BUCKINGHAMSHIRE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > >