Who had measles when?

[Clemence]

Did the children have german measles while being in Tobolsk? I read this in the Rappaport book.

[Sarushka]

Did the children have german measles while being in Tobolsk? I read this in the Rappaport book.

Yes, that's correct. According to Alexandra's diary, Olga & Tatiana came down with rubella (German measles) on 1st January, Aleksei on the 3rd, and Maria on the 4th. All had recovered by 8th January, and then Anastasia finally came down with rubella on the 15th. She was well by the 19th.

(All dates are Old Style.)

[Clemence]

well, my thoughts when I first read this was that maybe they lost their hair once more (which would confuse the dates for us)?

[Sarushka]

well, my thoughts when I first read this was that maybe they lost their hair once more (which would confuse the dates for us)?

As far as I know their heads were only shaved once, with no further hair loss.

[Belochka]

As far as I know their heads were only shaved once, with no further hair loss.

Sarushka, with apologies but I can only note the funny side of your comment.

; )

Margarita

[Nicola De Valeron]

Ha ha, I must agree with Belochka.

Dear Sarah, your comment sounds something like - "their heads were being slightly cut off only once, with no subsequent unnecessary complications"))
English are rather simple and understandable language, but sometimes, even innocent English phrase can be very funny;))

[Sarushka]

I suppose once a head has been sheared, further loss or growth of hair becomes a moot point... ;o)

[nena]

According to Vladimir Nicholaieich Voeikov in his book ' S Tsarem i Bez Tsarya' Alexei got infected by cadet Zehnya Makarov, not by Kolia Derevenko, who lived at that time at Tsarskoe Selo (both Makarov and Kolia )- there was an infection in his corps, and accidentally the boy was given the permission to entrance the Alexander Palace, when he 'infected' Tsarevich'.

[Dust_of_History]

Yes, I think that's correct. As far as I know, Kolya infected Alexei with rubella when he was already in Tobolsk.

[TimM]

Why were their heads shaved?  That's not done today?

[Romanov_History_Buff]

due to meds at the time their hair was falling out  so it was decided that it would be better to just shave their heads! (if I remember a letter of Tatiana she mentioned something about "we four went to shave our heads as about half of Maria's hair has fallen out" or something like that! But hey sometimes they had a good laugh with it (Gilliard's photo to be a very good example and it was Olga's idea)! If you go back a couple pages you'll find the answer but i thought i'd just repost it! You might even find more out... by the way i think you'll find Tatiana's letter about the shave in the thread about her diary and letters!

[TimM]

Yeah, I guess meds back then were pretty primitive.

[Romanov_History_Buff]

I've read Tatiana talking about her deafness from a letter from Tobolsk in late 1917, early 1918; she said that she was only half deaf in one ear and her hearing was much better, etc etc.

Is it possible for someone to please post the letter?

[bestfriendsgirl]

I've always been struck by the severity of illnesses back then - NII and Tatiana's typhoid, the measles, etc. - things people just don't get anymore, at least not in most developed countries. I've always wondered, too, if the Imperial children, who had access to the finest medical care available at the time, could become so ill and suffer secondary conditions such as ear abcesses, etc., what must it have been like for anyday, everyday children?

[Alexander1917]

Yeah, I guess meds back then were pretty primitive.

I think it is not the problem if "primitive medicine knowledge" it depents when you caught such "childen sicks". the saving of hair and loss of hair depents on the hight fever.
I know that I was nearly "dylíng" when I caught chicken pox at the age of 30. those more or less "harmless" childen sicks became more dangerous when you are older - think of malformations if you're pregnant.