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Archiver > SOUTH-AFRICA > 1997-08 > 0871584971


From: MICHAEL O'CONNOR<michael.o' >
Subject: Re: Introductions
Date: Thu, 14 Aug 1997 20:56:11 +0200 (GMT)


Diana,
I cannot speak with great conviction but as far as I am aware sickle cell
anaemia is more prevalent in west Africans and is hardly seen in east
Africans and southern Africans. Now if your family had porphyria then we
would say "Mea culpa" :-). So check to see which of your ancestors were
descended form slaves.
Regards
Mike O'Connor
>What is RSL? Saw it in one of the intros and could not figure out what
>it stood for.
>
>My grandfather came to USA through England from RSA prior to WWII. He
>served in US Army during war, always stationed in USA. I am tracing my
>family tree in RSA at his request, even though I have never met him. I
>have a cousin whose baby was born with sickle cell anemia last year. Is
>that a medical trait in RSA? Here in the US, only African Americans and
>persons of Mediteranian descent generally have that illness. Of course
>my family blames the RSA genes for the illness. I told them "No Way".
>What do you think?
>
>Diana
>
>
Michael O'Connor
Orchid Grower and Genealogist
Researching the names O'Connor/Connor/Connors
Pietermaritzburg
South Africa

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