Until vaccines were developed, there were several highly-contagious diseases that could be fatal to otherwise healthy children. Measles, influenza, whooping cough (pertussis), tetanus (lockjaw) and diptheria were difficult to treat effectively. Lack of refrigeration meant children often drank unpasteurized milk - fresh from the source. Likewise, fresh eggs often carried salmonella. Add to those, drinking water from shallow wells and streams and the lack of plumbing. Essentially, healthy children either developed some immunity early in life or they died. Adults died early as well. My maternal grandmother died when my mother was about 6 but several of her siblings lived long lives, including her oldest sister who lived to 101. Accidents that most people would survive today, were fatal when the only transportation was horse and buggy - or for some in the early 1900's Model T's. On Mon, 6 Jul 1998, Charles McGlothen wrote: > Did anyone besides me notice the mortality rate of children under the age > of 21 in this area. Was it polio? Any ideas? I post a lot of deaths in > Floyd Co and never noticed there being this unusually high amount. > Let me know, As I start typing the Carter Cem I notice it is the same > there. There has to have been something that caused this.... > > bigun@eastky.net Carol Howell McGlothen ICQ 7515277 > > > ==== KYGREENU Mailing List ==== > Please, no attached files to the list, send privately. > Need help?, contact Betty at: chipmunk@zoomnet.net > List Instructions at: > http://www.zoomnet.net/~chipmunk/SurnamesMail.html > Support Rootsweb: http://www.rootsweb.com > > Grady +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Gredon (Grady) Turner E-mail: gpt@NebrWesleyan.edu | | Manager of Administrative Systems PHONE: 402-465-2256 | | Nebraska Wesleyan University | | 5000 Saint Paul Ave. To profit from good advice | | Lincoln, NE 68504-2796 requires more wisdom than | | to give it. | +----------------------------------------------------------------------+