Daily AncestorDilatation of the heart
Dilatation of the heart meant a heart whose chambers had stretched and widened, so that it pumped weakly.
Webster's 1913 defines dilatation in anatomy as the enlargement of a canal or other organ. In the heart it means stretched chambers rather than a thicker wall.
In dilated heart disease, Wikipedia notes, the left ventricle is widened while its walls are normal or thinned, and pumping is weak. It is one way a heart becomes enlarged, so compare records that say enlargement of the heart.
As seen in a recordCause of death line, state death certificate, 1910s to 1930s
Cause: Dilatation of heart. Contributory: Chronic nephritis.
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Dilatation of the heart." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/causes-of-death/dilatation-of-the-heart. Last checked 2026-10-12.