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Wakefield Family History Sharing
Medical terms that could be found in genealogical papers. Many of these terms are still used in today's modern medicine.
ablepsy -- blindness
ague -- malarial fever
American plague -- yellow fever
anasarca -- generalized, massive edema
aphonia -- laryngitis aphtha -- thrush
apoplexy -- stroke
atrophy -- wasting away, diminishing in size
bad blood -- syphilis
bilious fever -- could refer to several diseases: typhoid, malaria, hepatitis, or elevated temperature with associated liver problems or jaundice
biliousness -- jaundice associated with liver disease
black plague or black death -- bubonic plague black fever -- an acute infection with high temperature, which caused dark red skin lesions and had a high mortality rate
black pox -- black smallpox
black vomit -- vomiting old, black blood, sometimes associated with ulcers, frequently seen with yellow fever
blackwater fever -- dark urine, associated with high temperature
"bladder in throat" -- referring to diptheria
blood poisoning -- bacterial infection, septicemia
bloody flux -- bloody stools
bloody sweat -- "sweating sickness"
bone shave -- sciatica
brain fever -- meningitis
breakbone fever -- dengue fever
Bright's disease -- a chronic inflammation of the kidneys
"Bronze John" -- yellow fever
cachexy -- malnutrition cacogastric -- upset stomach
cacospysy -- irregular pulse
camp fever -- typhus; also called camp diarrhea
canine madness -- rabies (hydrophobia)
canker -- ulceration of mouth or lips
catalepsy -- seizures catarrhal -- nose and throat discharge
chilblain -- swelling of the extremities, caused by exposure to cold
child bed fever -- any fever following the birth of a child
chin cough -- whooping cough
chlorosis -- anemia, iron deficiency
cholera -- acute & severe contagious disease, causes diarrhea & intestinal lining sloughing
cholera morbus -- characterized by nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, elevated temperature, etc.
cholecystitus -- inflammation of the gall bladder
cholelithiasis -- gallstones chorea -- disease characterized by convulsions, contortions
cold plague -- ague characterized by chills
colic -- abdominal pain and cramping
congestive chills, congestive fever -- malaria
consumption -- tuberculosis
corruption -- infection cramp
colic -- appendicitis
croup -- laryngitis, diptheria, or strep throat
cynanche -- diseases of the throat
debility -- lack of movement or staying in bed
decreptidue -- feebleness due to old age
delirium tremens -- hallucinations, due to alcoholism
dentition -- cutting teeth
deplumation -- tumor of the eyelids which causes hair loss
diptheria -- contagious disease, causes a growth or thickening of the membrane in the throat, strangling the victim
distemper -- usually an animal disease, causes lethargy, discharge from the nose and throat
dock fever -- yellow fever
dropsy -- edema (swelling), often caused by kidney or heart disease
dropsy of the brain -- encephalitis
dry bellyache -- lead poisoning dysentery -- inflammation of the colon, characterized by diarrhea with frequent passage of mucous and blood
dysorexy -- loss of appetite
dyspepsia -- indigestion and heartburn, also symptoms of heart attack
dysury -- difficulty in urination eclampsy -- ecstasy -- a form of catalepsy characterized by loss of reason
edema -- swelling of tissues
edema of longs -- usually congestive heart failure
elephantiasis -- "Elephant Man's Disease," causes growths and tumors
enteric fever -- typhoid
enterocolitis, enteritis -- inflammation of the bowels
epitaxis -- nose bleed
falling sickness -- epilepsy
fatty liver -- cirrhosis of the liver
flux -- excessive flow or discharge of fluid, like a hemorrhage or diarrhea
French pox -- syphilis
glandular fever -- mononucleosis great pox -- syphilis
green fever, green sickness -- anemia grippe -- influenza
grocer's itch -- skin disease caused by mites in sugar or flour
heart sickness -- condition sometimes caused by loss of salt from the body
heat stroke -- elevation of body temperature because of the temperature of the surrounding environment; the body stops perspiring and cannot reduce temperature
hectical complaint -- recurrent fever
hematemesis -- vomiting blood
hematuria -- bloody urine
horrors -- delirium tremens
hydrocephalus -- enlarged head, "water on the brain"
hydrophobia -- rabies
hypertrophic -- enlargement of an organ, such as the heart
impetigo -- contagious skin disease
infantile paralysis -- polio
jail fever -- typhus
jaundice -- yellowing of the skin and/or eyes, caused by liver disfunction
kruchhusten -- whooping cough
Kings Disease -- tuberculosis of neck lymph glands - Sometimes called Scofalla
La Grippe -- influenza
lockjaw -- usually refers to tetanus
long sickness -- tuberculosis
Lues disease -- syphilis
Lues venera -- venereal disease
lumbago -- back pain
lung fever -- pneumonia
lung sickness -- tuberculosis
lying in -- labor and delivery, childbirth
malignant sore throat -- diptheria mania -- insanity
maramus -- progressive wasting away of the body
membranous croup -- diptheria
meningitis -- inflammation of the brain or spinal cord
metritis -- inflammation of the uterus, or purulent vaginal discharge
miasma -- poisonous vapors that were thought to be in the air, believed to cause all sorts of diseases
milk fever -- disease from drinking contaminated milk, like undulant fever or brucellosis
milk leg -- post partum thrombophlebitis
mormal -- gangrene
morphew -- scurvy blisters
mortification -- gangrene of necrotic tissue
necrosis -- death of tissue
nephrosis -- kidney degeneration
nephritis -- inflammation of the kidneys
nervous prostration -- extreme exhaustion, depression, "nervous breakdown"
neuralgia -- discomfort or general listlessness
nostalgia -- homesickness
palsy -- uncontrolled movement or tremors
paroxysm -- convulsion
petechial fever -- fever characterized by skin spotting
phthiriasis -- lice infestation
phthisis -- chronic wasting away, tuberculosis
plague -- acute, highly infectious fever with high fatality rate
pleurisy -- inflammation of the chest, causing pain when breathing
podagra -- gout
Pott's disease -- tuberculosis of the spine
puerperal exhaustion -- death due to childbirth
puerperal fever -- elevated temperature after childbirth
puking fever -- milk sickness
putrid fever -- diptheria
quinsy -- tonsillitis
remitting fever -- malaria
rheumatism -- any disorder associated with pain in the joints
rickets -- disease of the skeletal system, associated with malnutrition
rose cold -- hay fever, or nasal symptoms of an allergy
rubeola -- German measles
scarlatina -- scarlet fever, a contagious disease characterized by a red skin rash
scarlet rash -- roseola
sciatica -- rheumatism or arthritis of the hips
scirrhus -- cancerous tumors
scotomy -- dizziness, nausea, and dimness of sight
scrivener's palsy -- writer's cramp
screws -- rheumatism
scrofula -- tuberculosis of neck lymph glands - sometimes called the Kings Disease
scrumpox -- skin disease, such as impetigo
scurvy -- caused by malnutrition, specifically lack of vitamin C. Symptoms include weakness, spongy gums, and hemorrhages under the skin
septicemia -- blood poisoning
shingles -- viral disease caused by the chickenpox virus, causes skin blisters and pain
ship fever -- typhus
Spanish influenza -- influenza
spasms -- sudden involuntary contraction of a muscle or group of muscles, like a convulsion
spotted fever -- possibly either typhus or meningitis
sprue -- tropical disease, characterized by intestinal disorders and sore throat
St. Anthony's fire -- contagious skin disease (erysipelas), affected skin areas are bright red
St. Vitas dance -- ceaseless, rapid and complex jerking movements, performed involuntarily
summer complaint -- diarrhea
thrombosis -- blood clot
thrush -- usually a childhood disease, causes spots on the mouth, lips and throat
toxemia of pregnancy -- eclampsia
Trench Foot -- painful sores as a result of being in wet tranches where feet are never allowed to dry. Feet are continually in wet boots and socks
trench mouth -- painful ulcers along the gum line, normally associated with poor nutrition and hygiene
tussis convulsiva -- whooping cough
variola -- smallpox
viper's dance -- St. Vitus dance
water on the brain -- enlarged head, caused by fluid collecting within the skull
white swelling -- tuberculosis of the bone
winter fever -- pneumonia
womb fever -- infection of the uterus
worm fit -- convulsions associated with teething, worms
yellowjacket -- yellow fever
Kindly forwarded to me by A. Richmond. With additional ailments added by myself