Historian Tim Riswick sits contentedly at his computer: "On the launch day of doodsoorzaken.nl, eight scans of the causes of death registers were already entered."
Riswick was also involved in the Death in Amsterdam project, which uncovered the causes of death for 625,563 residents of Amsterdam who passed away between 1854 and 1940. “Amsterdam is an interesting case for our research questions. By the 19th century, Amsterdam was already a large city and a leader in medical developments. During this period, the wealthy died at slower rates than the poor—with the exception of the Jewish population.”
As a historian, Riswick finds this the most intriguing question: what do these deaths reveal about how people lived in the city? Riswick explains: “Jews lived in poorer neighborhoods, yet they experienced fewer deaths in general, and specifically from fewer from smallpox. Why is that? Likely, Jewish people were quicker to embrace vaccination. Additionally, many prominent doctors were Jewish at that time.”
More than 800 volunteers helped digitize the causes of death. Riswick is grateful for their contributions: “Amsterdam is, of course, much larger. We don’t expect to uncover as many causes of death this time, but every helping hand is welcome!”
The volunteers for Death in Amsterdam were mostly Amsterdammers or people who had lived in Amsterdam for a long time. Riswick notes: “Some of them were retired general practitioners. Historians like me have the book knowledge; they have medical expertise and plenty of practical experience. It’s fascinating to learn from each other.”
Deciphering
Deciphering the doctors’ notes and cause of death registers, however, can still be quite challenging. These notes contain extensive information about the deceased, including the date and month of death, address, occupation, and the cause of death. Doctors at that time wrote death certificates by hand, often including Latin terms. “Sometimes it’s a bit of a puzzle to decipher the handwriting, but volunteers often enjoy it! They’re especially thrilled when they come across a certificate with an address they recognize, like their current home.”
