Susan (Bickerstaff) Curry's 1933 Ohio Death Certificate

Susan (Bickerstaff) Curry is my great-grandfather Edward Jesse Bickerstaff's sister.  Both the children of Ellis and Emma (Nelson) Bickerstaff.  Susan is my grandmother Emma (Bickerstaff) Meinzen's aunt. 

Below is a transcription of Susan's death certificate.

State of Ohio, Department of Health, Division of Vital Statistics, Certificate of Death
1.  PLACE OF DEATH
Stark County, Perry Township, Registration District NO. 1212,  File No. 53108, Primary Registration District No. 5852, Registered No. 442
No.   Massillon State Hospital
2.  Full Name   Susan Curry
(a) Residence  Steubenville, O.
PERSONAL AND STATISTICAL PARTICULARS
3.  Sex   Female
4.  Color   White
5.  Single, Married, Widowed....  Widowed
5a.  Husband   George Curry
6.  Date of Birth   Dec. 4, 1862
7.  Age   70 years, 9 months, 13 days
8.  Occupation   Housework
9. through 11. [blank]
12.  Birthplace   Steubenville, Ohio
13.  Father's Name   Ellis Bickerstaff
14.  Father's Birthplace   Steubenville, Ohio
15.  Mother's Name   Emma Nelson
16.  Mother's Birthplace   Steubenville, Ohio
17.  Informant   Massillon State Hospital, Massillon, Ohio
18.  Burial, Cremation, or Removal   Place.   Steubenville, Ohio    Date  Sept 19, 1933
19.  Undertaker   J. C. McClave,   Steubenville, Ohio
19a.  Was body embalmed   yes    Embalmer's No.  3788A
20.  Filed   9-18-1933   Registrar  J. H. Williams [signature]
MEDICAL CERTIFICATE OF DEATH
21.  Date of Death   Sept. 17, 1933
22.  I hereby certify, That I attended deceased from Sept. 9, 1933 to Sept. 17, 1933.  I last saw her alive on Sept. 17, 1933, death is said to have occurred on the date stated above at 6:50 Am.
The principle cause of death and related causes of importance in order of onset were as follows:
Attack of Epilepsy   Date of onset  3 days ago
Bronchopneumonia    Date of onset 2 days ago
Contributory Causes   Cerebral arteriosclerosis
23.  Was there an autopsy?   No
24.  Was disease or injury in any way related to occupation of deceased?  no
(Signed)   William W. Corwin, M.D. [signature]
Date   Sept 17, 1933
Address   Massillon State Hosp.

Notes and Observations

• My grandmother Emma's daughter, Doris (we called her Aunt Dot), remembered visiting an aunt on her mother's side of the family at an institution that was several hours' drive west from Mineral Ridge (which was in Trumbull County), Ohio.  She couldn't remember the aunt's name but remembered her mother saying that she thought this aunt didn't really need to be in an institution but was there because no one in the family wanted to care for her.  So sad.
  Susan's death certificate says she died at Massillon State Hospital in September, 1933.  I can't help but think Susan is the aunt my grandmother and aunt visited for two reasons:  she is the only relative I've found on my grandmother's side of the family who was in an institution and Massillon was several hours' drive west from Mineral Ridge in the 1930s.
• Lest you think I'm being hard-hearted because of my response that no one wanted to care for Susan at home, I truly can imagine how difficult the situation of a care-giver and family of an epileptic might have been in 1930.  I was unable to find simple, specific information to include here about diagnosis and treatment or whether medication was available at that time but I suspect that there were few preventive measures for seizures in the 1930s.  It would have been hard for Susan and hard for those caring for her.
  
• I wondered how long Susan had been at the Massillon State Hospital.  I found her there in the 1930 U.S. Census but did not find her in any 1920 U.S. Census (at least not yet), which means she was there at least three years before her death.
• I found some great information about the Massillon State Hospital including some beautiful photos.  It was built in 1898, based on the "cottage plan" in which there were multiple buildings used for various purposes.  The grounds were reputed to be beautiful and people picnicked there on Sundays.
  
  
  
  You can read more about the Massillon State Hospital at these websites:
  > Massillon History: State Hospital 
  > Massillon State Hospital for the Insane 
  > Massillon State Hospital (with great photos and a link to more photos and comments from people who lived or worked at the Hospital)
• In FamilySearch's Family Tree someone had attached Susan (Bickerstaff) Curry's death certificate to Susan (Mallernee) Curry despite the difference in maiden names.  Other pieces of information didn't fit, either--parents' names, children's names, birth date, death date, etc.  Only the spouses' names--George Curry--were the same.  I unattached the death certificate.
  

-–Nancy.

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