The picture on the left is the tombstone of Sarah Johnson who died in 1819 after suffering ascites over a number of years. The stone, which is now in the Old Rectory Museum, bears a remarkable and detailed testimony to her tragic life.
Sarah Johnson's Tombstone
Sarah Johnson died in 1819 at the age of 28. She was the wife of Moses Johnson, and had suffered from ascites over a number of years. The inscription on her tombstone reads:
Woodgate Baptist Church
(now demolished)
What is ascites?
Ascites is one of a number of conditions often referred to as 'water retention'. Its most obvious symptom is excess fluid in the body cavity leading to swelling, abdominal pain and other complications such as pressure on the heart and lungs.
There are a number of causes, but it is commonly the result of liver disease.
Oh Reader reflect when viewing of this stone
What sore afflictions in my life I’ve borne
And in my debilitated state was given
Two tender Babes but Death has laid us even.
The stone was originally located in the burial ground of Woodgate Baptist Church, Loughborough, but was moved when the church was later demolished.
The inscription goes on to give details of the treatment for her condition. This consisted of her excess fluid being tapped (drained) from her body. This operation was performed "28 times, 6 operations by Mr Vickers, 22 by Mr Brown of Wimeswould". In all, a total of "310 Gallons 1 Quart 1 Pint", or approximately 1175 litres, were drained from her body over a period of six years.
| Period | Gallons | Quarts | Pints | Period | Gallons | Quarts | Pints | |
| 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 10 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 10 | 2 | 0 | |
| 3 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 8 | 2 | 0 | |
| 4 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 10 | 2 | 0 | |
| 5 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 10 | 3 | 0 | |
| 6 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 10 | 2 | 0 | |
| 7 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 21 | 11 | 0 | 0 | |
| 8 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 12 | 0 | 0 | |
| 9 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 23 | 10 | 0 | 0 | |
| 10 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 10 | 1 | 1 | |
| 11 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 25 | 9 | 1 | 1 | |
| 12 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 26 | 8 | 0 | 0 | |
| 13 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 27 | 10 | 0 | 0 | |
| 14 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 8 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 6 years | 310 Gallons 1 Quart 1 Pint | ||||||
Towards the end of her short life Sarah and her husband appear to be living in Rempstone. Below are details of payments made to them by the 'Overseer of the Poor'.
| 1816 | £. | s. | d. | ||||
| March 30th | Paid Johnson 22 weeks at 5/- | 5. | 10. | 0. | |||
| 21 weeks at 3/- | 3. | 3. | 0. | ||||
| There is an item "Paid for *gin 3/-" which could well refer to Mrs Johnson | |||||||
| June 22nd | Johnson rent | 1. | 11. | 6. | |||
| July 27th | Johnson 14 weeks at 3/- | 2. | 2. | 0. | |||
| Aug | Johnson when ill | 6. | 0. | ||||
| Oct | Johnson | 3. | 0. | ||||
| Nov | Johnson | 3. | 0. | ||||
| Dec | Johnson (2 payments | 3. | 0. | ||||
| 1817 | |||||||
| March | Johnson when his wife was tap’d | 5. | 6. | ||||
| April | Mr Walker for *liquors for Johnson’s wife | 8. | 8. | ||||
| Johnson rent | 1. | 11. | 6. | ||||
| Johnson 3 cwts coal | 3. | 3. | |||||
| May 31st | Johnson when his wife was tap’d | 6. | 6. | ||||
| June 14th | Moses Johnson | 5. | 0. | ||||
| July 3rd | Moses Johnson’s rent | 1. | 11. | 6. | |||
| Aug 16th | Johnson’s wife | 6. | 0. | ||||
| Aug 30th | Moses Johnson 2 weeks | 11. | 0. | ||||
| Sept 6th | Moses Johnson | 5. | 0. | ||||
| Sept 20th | Moses Johnson 2 weeks | 10. | 0. | ||||
| Nov 1st | Moses Johnson 7 weeks | 18. | 0. | ||||
| 1818 | |||||||
| Jan 10th | Moses Johnson’s rent | 1. | 11. | 6. | |||
| Feb 21st | Moses Johnson 7 weeks | 17. | 6. | ||||
| April | Moses Johnson 6 weeks | 15. | 0. | ||||
| Dr. Brown’s bill for taping, etc Johnson’s wife | 8. | 19. | 6. | ||||
| 1819 | |||||||
| Jan 9th | For purchasing Moses Johnson’s goods | 2. | 16. | 0. | |||
| Moses Johnson’s rent | 3. | 3. | 0. | ||||
| Pd do 23 weeks pay at 2/6d | 2. | 17. | 6. | ||||
| Dr. Brown for tapping Moses Johnson | 12. | 5. | 9. | ||||
| Nov 27th | Johnson rent | 3. | 3 | 0. | |||
| 1821 | |||||||
| March 31st | Mr Ball for valuing Moses Johnson’s goods | 5. | 0. | ||||
(Nottingham Record Office) *Nursing procedure suggests Brandy in case of shock due to lowering of abdominal pressure. | |||||||