Historical Causes of Death

Death certificates or registers can have information about the cause of death. For records before the mid-20th century, some terms used then are no longer familiar today. There are several websites that give definitions and interpretations to diseases and medical conditions found in these records.

Online Resources

 * Old Medical Terminology at RootsWeb.com
 * Glossary of Medical Terms used in the 18th and 19th Centuries
 * Old Medical Terms at Fenton Historical Society
 * Old Disease Names Frequently found on Death Certificates at USGenNet.org

International Classification of Diseases

 * History of International Classification of Diseases (ICD) - code used to indicate cause of death on United States and other countries death certificates. The ICD was first published in 1893.
 * International Classification of Diseases at Wolfbane.com - links to all versions of the International Classification of Diseases code; use the version that corresponds with the year the death was recorded.
 * additional article about International Classification of Diseases

Other Wiki Articles

 * England Diseases and Cause of Death