Does anyone know for certain what was the medical diagnosis of Tiny Tim's ailiment? If that serious, could the primitive medical technology of circa 1840s England have been adequate enough to save the little boy?
shareWhatever he had, I think someone on here has answered that, access to a decent diet and accomodation which Scrooge would have provided after his transformation would have made a huge difference!
shareTiny Tim was probably just a poor, crippled boy, probably made lame due to malnutrition. If Scrooge had given Crachitt something more than the paltry wage he gave him, Bob would've been able to buy more food for his family and Tim probably would've grown up as a healthier boy.
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Charles Dickens himself never specified Tiny Tim's ailment but the diagnosis most commonly suggested by the medical sleuths is renal tubular acidosis.
This is a disease where the kidneys fail to excrete acids into the urine, causing them to build up in the blood. It can cause growth retardation, bone degeneration (hence, the crutch) and progressive renal failure so is fatal if left untreated (Tim was predicted to die within the year). While 19th century doctors wouldn't have had a name for the disease or been able to test for it, they did recognize the symptoms and knew how to treat them with frequent doses of alkaline substances, which would neutralize the acid in the blood and lead to a complete, rapid recovery. Scrooge's funds could have paid for doctor visits and this treatment.
Rickets, tuberculosis, and polio have also been mentioned as possibilities but seem less likely. I elaborated the case for and against each in terms of symptoms and treatment on another thread on this board, "What was the matter with Tim, anyway?"
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0216621/board/thread/133292531?d=152882356 &p=1#152882356