I alos had the same thing when I grew up, as a baby my mum thought I looked unwell and called the Locum GP out, he took a look at me and said it was just normal baby stuff, Luckily my mum being a nurse decided not to take the GP advice and called teh ambulance later that day when i took a turn for the worse 3 times my heart stopped and 3 times i resusicated, I was diagnosed with Meningocical Meningitis, But as you said things have come on a lot since the 70-80's and this is due to the education the Health Service give to us 'MOP'