Antiquated Descriptions of Diseases & Illnesses

The following is a list (by no means a complete list) of illnesses and diseases which can be seen in older listings of newspaper death notices, burial records, and mortality schedules.  These terms have been gleaned from sources such as Riverius Reformatus ( Practise of Physick ) published in 1706, an English translation of an earlier Latin text by Lazare Reviere 1589 - 1655 and Principles and Practise of Medicine" 1892 by Doctors Sir William Osler & Thomas McCrea. 

CAUSE	DESCRIPTION
A
ABLEPSY / ABLEPSIA	Blindness
ABSCESS	A localized collection of pus buried in tissues, organs, or confined spaces of the body, often accompanied by swelling and inflammation and frequently caused by bacteria
ACUTE MANIA	Severe insanity
ADDISON'S DISEASE	A disease characterized by severe weakness, low blood pressure, and a bronzed coloration of the skin, due to decreased secretion of cortisol from the adrenal gland. Also known as bronzed skin disease
ADYNAMIA	Loss of movement or strength as a result of disease
AGLUTITION	Inability to swallow
AGUE	Used to define the recurring fever & chills of malarial infection
AGUE-CAKE	A hard tumor or swelling on the left side of the abdomen, lower than the false rib, resulting from enlargement of the spleen or liver, and believed to be the effect of intermittent fevers - often Malaria
AMERICAN PLAGUE	Yellow fever
AMBUSTIO	Scalding or burns.
ANASARCA	Generalized massive oedema (swelling)
ANCOME	Ulcerous swelling
ANTHRACOSIS	Lung disease from breathing in coal dust.
APHONIA	Laryngitis
APHTHA	Thrush
APOPLEXY	Paralysis due to stroke
ASPHYCSIA / ASPHICSIA	Cyanotic and lack of oxygen
ASCITES	Collection of fluid in the abdomen, due liver disease or cancer
ATELECTASIS	Callapsed lung or lungs
ATROPHY	Wasting away (generally from lack of use, i.e. muscles)
B
BAD BLOOD	Syphilis
BARBER'S RASH or ITCH	Possibly Impetigo infection of hair folicles from contaminated razor
BARREL FEVER	Colloquial ? Illness due to excessive drinking of alcohol
BERIBERI	Disease caused by a deficiency of thiamine / vitamin B1
BILIOUS FEVER	Hepatitis - general Liver disorder, also sometimes Typhoid, Malaria
BILIOUSNESS	Jaundice or other symptoms associated with liver disease; gall bladder. may also have been any upset leading to vomiting bile or just vomiting
BLACKDAMP	Asphyxiating gas, mainly carbon dioxide in mines
BLACK FEVER	Acute infection with high temperature and dark red skin lesions and high death rate
BLACK JAUNDICE	Wiel's Disease; Black Water fever (deadly form of leptospirosis )
BLACK PLAGUE OR DEATH	Bubonic plague
BLACK POX	Black Smallpox
BLACK VOMIT	Vomiting old black blood due to ulcers or yellow fever
BLACKWATER FEVER	Dark urine associated with high temperature (deadly form of malaria)
BLADDER IN THROAT	Diphtheria (?)
BLOOD POISONING	Bacterial infection; septicemia
BLOODY FLUX	Bloody stools
BLOODY SWEAT	Sweating sickness (see English Sweate)
BONE SHAVE	Sciatica
BRAIN FEVER	Meningitis
BREAKBONE	Dengue fever
BRIGHT'S DISEASE	Chronic inflammatory disease of the kidneys - Nephritis
BRONZE JOHN	Yellow fever
BRUCELLOSIS	Infection from contact with animals or animal products that are contaminated with these bacteria. Brucellosis can cause a range of symptoms that are similar to the flu and may include fever, sweats, headaches, back pains, and physical weakness. Serious infections of the central nervous systems or lining of the heart may occur. Brucellosis can also cause long-lasting or chronic symptoms that include recurrent fevers, joint pain, and fatigue - See MILK FEVER
BULE	Boil, tumor or swelling
C
CACHEXY	Malnutrition
COCAETHES	Semi-permanent or recurring ill health
CACOGASTRIC	Upset stomach - indigestion
CACHAEMIA	Generally a blood disease or a poisoned condition of the blood
CACOSPYSY	Irregular pulse
CADUCEUS	Subject to falling sickness or epilepsy
CAMP FEVER	Typhus; aka Camp diarrhea
CANINE MADNESS	Rabies, hydrophobia
CANKER	Ulceration of mouth or lips or herpes simplex
CAISSON DISEASE	Decompression sickness (the bends in divers) affected those who worked in caissons (chambers pressurised to keep out water) e.g. for building foundations for bridges under rivers. If they returned to normal pressure to quickly bubbles of nitrogen would form in their joints and tissues causing extreme pain, cramps & paralysis - & long term effects.
CATALEPSY	Seizures / trances
CATARRHAL	Nose and throat discharge from cold or allergy
CEREBRITIS	Inflammation of cerebrum or lead poisoning
CEREBRAL EMBOLISM	Stroke
CHILBLAIN	Swelling of extremities caused by exposure to cold
CHILD BED FEVER	Infection following birth of a child
CHIN COUGH	Whooping cough
CHLOROSIS	Iron deficiency anemia; leukemia  ( green fever )
CHOLECYSTITUS	Inflammation of the gall bladder
CHOLELITHIASIS	Gall stones
CHOLERA	Acute severe contagious diarrhoea with intestinal lining damage
CHOLERA MORBUS	Characterized by nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, elevated temperature, etc. Could be appendicitis
CHOREA	Disease characterized by convulsions, contortions and "dancing"
COLD PLAGUE	Ague which is characterized by chills
COLIC	An abdominal pain and cramping
COMMOTION	Concussion
CONGESTION	Any collection of fluid in an organ, eg Tuberculosis in the lungs
CONGESTIVE CHILLS	Malaria with diarrhoea
CONGESTIVE FEVER	Malaria
CONSUMPTION	Tuberculosis; Wasting sickness (read a full page on Consumption)
CORRUPTION	Infection
CORYZA	A cold
COSTIVENESS	Constipation
CRAMP COLIC	Appendicitis
CROP SICKNESS	Overextended stomach
CROUP	Laryngitis, diphtheria, or strep throat
CYANOSIS	Dark skin color from lack of oxygen in blood
CYNANCHE	Inflammatory diseases of throat, tonsils or windpipe.
CYSTITIS	Inflammation of the bladder
D
DAY FEVER	Fever lasting one day; sweating sickness
DEBILITY	Lack of movement or staying in bed
DECREPITUDE	Feebleness due to old age
DELIRIUM TREMENS	Hallucinations due to alcoholism
DENGUE	Infectious fever endemic to East Africa
DENTITION	Cutting of teeth
DEPLUMATION	Tumor of the eyelids which causes hair loss
DIARY FEVER	A fever that lasts one day
DIPTHERIA	Contagious disease of the throat
DISTEMPER	sually animal disease with malaise, discharge from nose and throat, anorexia
DOCK FEVER	Yellow fever
DROPSY	Oedema (swelling), abnormal collection of fluids in body cavities, often caused by kidney or heart disease.
DROPSY OF THE BRAIN	Encephalitis
DRY BELLYACHE	Lead poisoning
DYSCRASY	An abnormal body condition
DYSENTERY	Inflammation of colon with frequent passage of mucous and blood
DYSOREXY	Reduced appetite
DYSPEPSIA	Indigestion and heartburn. Heart attack symptoms
DYSURY	Difficulty in discharging urine, accompanied by pain and a sensation of heat.
E
ECLAMPSY	Symptoms of epilepsy, convulsions during labour
ECSTASY	A form of catalepsy characterized by loss of reason
ELEPHANTIASIS	A form of leprosy
ENCEPHALITIS	Swelling of brain; aka sleeping sickness
ENGLISH SICKNESS	Rickets - weak bone growth due lack of Calcium or vitamin D / sunshine
ENTERIC FEVER	Typhoid fever
ENTERITIS	Inflammation of the bowels
ENTEROCOLITIS	Inflammation of the intestines
EPITAXIS	Nose bleed
ERYSIPELAS	Contagious skin disease, due to Streptococci with vesicular and bulbous lesions
ERYSIPELAS	Contagious infection of the skin and underlying tissue, now known to be caused by group A B-hemolytic streptococcus bacteria. Erysipelas causes affected areas of skin to turn bright red and become slightly swollen. The swollen blotches have a distinct border and slowly expand into the surrounding skin. The lesions are most commonly seen on the face, scalp, hands, and legs. They feel hot to the touch and the patient is feverish. Centuries ago erysipelas epidemics caused severe, often fatal infections (St Anthony's Fire). Today erysipelas is a rather mild and relatively rare infection that clears up rapidly when penicillin or other antibiotics are taken.
ERYTHROBLASTOSIS	Rhesus disease - destroys blood cells in new born baby if mother has Rhesus antibodies which then pass through the placenta.
EXTRAVASATED BLOOD	Rupture of a blood vessel, blood not in the normal circulation.
F
FALLING SICKNESS	Epilepsy
FATTY LIVER	Cirrhosis of liver
FITS	Sudden attack or seizure of muscle activity
FLUX	An excessive flow or discharge of fluid like hemorrhage or diarrhea
FLUX OF HUMOUR	Circulation
FRENCH POX	Syphilis
G
GALLOPING CONSUMPTION	Pulmonary Tuberculosis
GATHERING	A collection of pus
GLANDULAR FEVER	Mononucleosis
GOITER	noncancerous enlargement of the thyroid gland, visible as a swelling at the front of the neck, that is often associated with iodine deficiency.
GOUT	An inflammation, often a disturbance of uric-acid metabolism occurring predominantly in males, characterized by painful inflammation of the joints, especially of the feet and hands.
GREAT POX	Syphilis
GREEN FEVER / GREEN SICKNESS	Anemia ( chlorosis ) often a disease of young women giving the complexion a greenish tinge.
GRIPPE / GRIP	Flu or Influenza like symptoms
GROCER'S ITCH	Skin disease caused by mites in sugar or flour
H
HALLUCINATION	Delirium
HEART SICKNESS	Condition caused by loss of salt from body
HEAT STROKE	Body temperature elevates because of surrounding environmental temperature and body does not perspire enough to reduce temperature. Coma and death result if not reversed
HECTICAL COMPLAINT	Recurrent fever
HEMATEMESIS	Vomiting blood
HEMATURIA	Bloody urine
HEMIPLEGY	Paralysis of one side of body
HIP GOUT	Osteomyelitis, a staph infection
HORRORS	Delirium tremens
HYDROCEPHALUS	Enlarged head, water on the brain
HYDROPERICARDIUM	Heart dropsy
HYDROPHOBIA	Rabies
HYDROTHORAX	Dropsy in chest - Accumulation of fluid in one or both pleural cavities
HYPERTROPHIC	Enlargement of organ, like the heart
I
IMPETIGO	Contagious skin disease characterized by pustules
INANITION	Physical condition resulting from lack of food
INFANTILE PARALYSIS	Polio
INTESTINAL COLIC	Abdominal pain due to improper diet
J
JAIL FEVER	Typhus
JAUNDICE	Condition caused by blockage of Bile duct, Liver problems, Hepatisis, causing yellowing of eyes, skin and mucus membranes. ( icterus )
K
KING'S EVIL	Scrofula, a tubercular infection of the throat lymph glands; also sometimes syphilis
L
LA GRIPPE	Flu; influenza
LOCKJAW	Tetanus or infectious disease affecting the muscles of the neck and jaw. It is fatal if untreated
LUES DISEASE	Syphilis
LUES VENERA	Venereal disease; syphilis
LUMBAGO	Back pain
LYING IN	Time of delivery of baby
LUNG FEVER	Pneumonia
LUNG SICKNESS	Tuberculosis
M
MALIGNANT SORE THROAT	Diphtheria
MANIA	Insanity
MARASMUS	Progressive wasting away of body, like malnutrition
MARSH MIASM	believed early term for Malaria ( sometimes called paludal poison)
MEMBRANOUS CROUP	Diphtheria
MENINGITIS	Inflammation of brain or spinal cord
METRITIS	Inflammation of uterus or purulent vaginal discharge
MIASMA	Poisonous vapors thought to infect the air
MILK FEVER	Disease from drinking contaminated milk, like undulant fever or brucellosis
MILK LEG	Phlebitis; a painful swelling of the leg soon after childbirth, due to thrombosis of the large veins; Painful swelling of the leg beginning at the ankle and ascending or at the groin and extending down the thigh... its usual cause is infection after labor; Post partum thrombophlebitis
MILK SICKNESS	Disease from milk of cattle which had eaten poisonous weeds
MORMAL	Gangrene
MORPHEW	Scurvy blisters on the body
MORTIFICATION	Gangrene of necrotic tissue; Infection
MYELITIS	Inflammation of the spine
MYOCARDITIS	Inflammation of heart muscles
N
NECROSIS	Mortification of bones or tissue
NEPHROSIS	Kidney degeneration
NEPHRITIS	Inflammation of kidneys
NERVOUS PROSTRATION	Extreme exhaustion from inability to control physical and mental activities
NEURALGIA	Described as discomfort, such as "Headache" was neuralgia in head. Pain along the track of a nerve.
NOSTALGIA	Homesickness
O
OEDEMA   (EDEMA)	Nephrosis; swelling of tissues
OEDEMA OF LUNGS	Congestive heart failure, a form of dropsy
P
PALUDAL POISON	early name for Malaria
PARISTHMITIS	Quincy
PAROXYSM	Convulsion
PEMPHIGUS	Skin disease of watery blisters
PERICARDITIS	Inflammation of heart
PERIPNEUMONIA	Inflammation of lungs
PERITONOTIS	Inflammation of abdominal area
PETECHIAL FEVER	Fever characterized by skin spotting
PHLEGMASIA ALBA DOLENS	Milk Leg - Painful thrombosis of the femoral vein in the leg following childbirth
PHRENITIS	Early use: infammation of the brain, with acute fever and delirium. Later use: infammation of the diaphragm.
PHTHIRIASIS	Lice infestation
PHTHISIS	Chronic wasting away or a name for tuberculosis
PLAGUE	An acute febrile highly infectious disease with a high fatality rate
PLEURISY	Any pain in the chest area with each breath, more specifically inflammation of the membrane that covers the inside of the thorax, accompanied by fever, pain and cough.
PODAGRA	Gout
POLIOMYELITIS	Polio
POTTER'S ASTHMA	Fibroid Phthisis - pthisis
POTT'S DISEASE	Tuberculosis of spine
PROTEIN DISEASE PHTHISIS PULMONALES	Gomerulonephritis; a once relatively common childhood kidney disease that causes the kidney to leak protein. This is a secondary (allergic) reaction to certain kinds of strep infections. Tuberculosis of the lungs with progressive wasting of the body.
PUERPERA EXHAUSTION	Death due to childbirth
PUERPERAL FEVER	Elevated temperature after giving birth, septic poisoning which sometimes followed the birth of a child, sometimes onset associated with the mother's first lactation (first milk flow).
PUKING FEVER	Milk sickness
PUTRID FEVER	Diphtheria.
Q
QUINSY / QUINCY	Severe complication of tonsilitis which results in abscess near the tonsils. Before antibiotics available could be fatal
R
REMITTING FEVER	Malaria
RHEUMATISM	Any disorder associated with pain in joints
RICKETS	Disease of skeletal system resulting from a deficiency of calcium or vitamin D in the diet, or from lack of sunlight
ROSE COLD	Hay fever or nasal symptoms of an allergy
RUBEOLA  / RUBELLA	German measles
S
SANGUINEOUS CRUST	Scab
SCARLATINA	Scarlet fever
SCARLET FEVER	A disease characterized by red rash
SCARLET RASH	Roseola also German Measles
SCIATICA	Rheumatism in the hips - now pressure / damage to sciatic nerve
SCIRRHUS	Cancerous tumors
SCOTOMY	Dizziness, nausea and dimness of sight
SCREWS	Rheumatism
SCRIVENER'S PALSY	Writer's cramp
SCROFULA	Tuberculosis of neck lymph glands. Progresses slowly with abscesses and pistulas developing.(also King's Evil)
SCRUMPOX	Skin disease, impetigo
SCURVY	Lack of vitamin C. Symptoms of weakness, spongy gums and hemorrhages under skin
SEPTICEMIA	Blood poisoning
SHAKES	Delirium tremens
SHAKING	Chills, ague
SHINGLES	Viral disease affecting nerves - with skin blisters
SHIP FEVER	Typhus
SIRIASIS	Inflammation of the brain due to sun exposure
SLOES	Milk sickness
SMALL POX	Contagious disease with fever and blisters
SOFTENING OF BRAIN	Result of stroke or hemorrhage in the brain, with an end result of the tissue softening in that area
SORE THROAT DISTEMPER	Diphtheria or quinsy (quincy)
SPANISH INFLUENZA	Epidemic influenza
SPASMS	Sudden involuntary contraction of muscle or group of muscles, like a convulsion
SPINA BIFIDA	Deformity of spine
SPOTTED FEVER	Either typhus or meningitis
SPRUE	Tropical disease characterized by intestinal disorders and sore throat
ST. ANTHONY'S FIRE	Also erysipelas, but named so because of affected skin areas are bright red in appearance
ST. VITAS DANCE	Ceaseless occurrence of rapid complex jerking movements performed involuntary ( Chorea )
STOMATITIS	Inflammation of the mouth
STRANGER'S FEVER	Yellow fever
STRANGURY	Rupture, or slow painful urination, caused by muscular spasms of the urethra and bladder
SUDOR ANGLICUS	Sweating sickness or "The English Sweate"
SUMMER COMPLAINT	Diarrhea, usually in infants caused by spoiled milk
SUNSTROKE	Uncontrolled elevation of body temperature due to environment heat. Lack of sodium in the body is a predisposing cause
SWAMP SICKNESS	Could be malaria, typhoid or encephalitis
SWEATING SICKNESS	Infectious and often fatal disease common to UK in 15th century. Between 1485 and 1551 there were a series of epidemics across the country, the outbreak of 1528 being the worst, killing tens of thousands. This is NOT the Plague (bubonic fever) - Even today medical historians do not know what the disease was - symptoms: no rash or scabs, starts suddenly with a feeling of fear or apprehension, cold shivers for a short time followed by hot sweats for a few hours, head and limb aches, delirium, rapid pulse, exhaustion & collapse. Surviving this illness did not give immunity against future infection
T
TEETHING	tooth infections with inflammation
TETANUS	Infectious fever characterized by high fever, headache and dizziness
THROMBOSIS	Blood clot inside blood vessel
THRUSH	Childhood disease characterized by spots on mouth, lips and throat
TICK FEVER	Rocky mountain spotted fever
TOXEMIA OF PREGNANCY	Eclampsia ( very high blood pressure - fits )
TRENCH MOUTH	Painful ulcers found along gum line, Caused by poor nutrition and poor hygiene
TUSSIS CONVULSIVA	Whooping cough
TYPHUS	Infectious fever characterized high fever, headache, and dizziness
V
VARIOLA	Smallpox
VENESECTION	Bleeding by the opening of a vein for letting blood, ( phlebotomy )
VIPER'S DANCE	St. Vitus Dance
W
WATER ON BRAIN	Enlarged head
WHITE PLAGUE	Consumption Tuberculosis
WHITE SWELLING	Tuberculosis of the bone
WHITLOW	Ulcerous swellings, a boil
WINTER FEVER	Pneumonia
WOMB FEVER	Infection of the uterus.
WORM FIT	Convulsions associated with teething, worms, elevated temperature or diarrhea
Y
YELLOWJACKET	Yellow fever.