Interesting stuff about the Mud Floods. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it is my first time of hearing of it.

Re: The orphan children

You have no doubt heard of the great influenza epidemic after WWI that is said to have killed more people than that wicked human carnage of the war itself.

Had a talk with my 95 year old mother recently about TB and if it placed her population in constant anxiety. She said no, that it was just one of those facts of life like the present generations dealing with that stat that 1 out of 2 people will have to deal with cancer in our lives.

The thing is that you have a better survival chance with cancer than those before penicillin did with TB. She said every family was touched. The entire family of my great uncle was lost.

Even today a TB test comes up positive with me. It appears that it likely came into contact with me during the 50's when in the hospital for unrelated matters. Luckily my young immune system beat it with antibodies to prove it and drive the present day testers crazy.

The average ancient Egyptian's lifespan is said to be around 35 years old.

With all these things in mind is it any surprise that history has had its share of orphans?