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| 411 Winters Avenue, West Hazleton, Pennsylvania, 2009; personal collection |
I didn't know of Charles' existence until the Pennsylvania death certificates became available online a few years ago. From the death certificate, I discovered that Charles died of gastroenteritis and had suffered from the complaint for a month. While many call it a stomach flu, it really has nothing to do with the flu at all. Gastroenteritis is caused by a bacterial or viral infection. When caused by a viral infection the most common are the rotavirus or the norovirus. When caused by a bacterial infection, the most common causes are contact with another infected person, contaminated food or water, or unwashed hands after going to the bathroom or changing a diaper.
At the time Charles died, the Dagutis household was likely in a bit of upheaval. His mother gave birth the day before to the family's youngest known son, Albert Paul Dagutis. It's quite likely that Charles' older sister, twelve-year-old Anna, was responsible for his care during the final days of his illness.
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| Charles Dagutis 1920 Pennsylvania Death Certificate; courtesy of Ancestry.com |
While I will never know for sure, an interesting notation on Charles' death certificate leads me to believe he died because he ate contaminated cabbage. It probably was not thoroughly cleaned before eating.
Image all the things we have missed because early scans were done in black and white. Handwriting is sometimes hard to distinguish but went the scans are in color you get to see what the doctor and what the informant filled out. Looks like "eating cabbage" was penciled in. So sad for the mother to lose a child only a day after giving birth to another. I've seen this happen in some families in Luxembourg. No cause of death is listed on the death records so I could only speculate. Something like this never even crossed my mind. ~ Cathy
ReplyDeleteI meant to write, "Imagine all the things...."
DeleteI feel spoiled when I can find an actual death certificate! Color is just a great added bonus.
DeleteThat is incredibly sad! Poor little guy. At 6 years old you just usually eat what you are given, so it is interesting no one else in the family died.
ReplyDeleteIt's always possible he ate the cabbage somewhere other than at home and that's why no one else in the family died. There were children younger than him, who you would have thought would have been susceptible, too. One was 2-year-old Peter Charles Dagutis, who was my father-in-law.
DeleteMy mothers younger brother died of an intestinal blockage and contributing siezures - sounds like a similar thing. My mother said she was told his blockage was because his grandmother fed him oranges (another food hard to digest). He was only 2 1/2 years old.
ReplyDeleteIt does sound similar.
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