Talk:Causes of Jane Austen's death

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Illness and cause of death

A recent article, published in the journal Lupus on February 17, 2021, proposes Jane Austen had systemic lupus erythematosus. The authors reviewed all of Austen's available letters, looking for relevant medical information. Their hypothesis -- Jane Austen suffered from systemic lupus erythematosus. Her symptoms included "rheumatism, facial skin lesions, fever, and marked fluctuation of these symptoms... This range of clinical features fulfills the most recent classification criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus." Anita88USA (talk) 23:59, 8 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Typhus and skin appearance

1) The Note 2 cites Linda Robinson in that "the opinion that typhus nearly caused Jane's death is not expressed by any contemporary account of Jane Austen. It was first put forward in 1949 by Elizabeth Jenkins". Of the 1st part I can't say anything, but about the latter, in William and Richard Austen-Leigh's "Jane Austen, her life and letters...", Chapter II, p.25 it's mentioned that "Cassandra and Jane Austen were attacked by a putrid fever [an archaic term for typhus]" and a bit later that "Jane Austen was very ill and nearly died". This was published originally in 1910 so Robinson's statement would be wrong, and or at least a note should be added remarking this.

References:

https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/22536/pg22536-images.html#Page_11

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2727317/

2) This is more a personal comment than a suggestion as (1). In the same work cited before, it also appears (Ch XIV, p.240) an Anna Austen Lefroy (Jane's niece) description of her aunt: "Her complexion of that rare sort which seems the particular property of light brunettes; a mottled skin, not fair, but perfectly clear and healthy". The chapter focuses on 1809-11 and Anna is presented as a "grown-up girl" so we can assume the previous statement is from that period. Many people have mottled skin, but in regards Jane's health, this could have been an early (or even chronic) symptom of her disease, whatever it was. I haven't seen it referenced in the publications and thought it interesting to remark.

https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/22536/pg22536-images.html#Page_240 Morchela (talk) 06:10, 22 June 2025 (UTC)[reply]