Old Diseases

These have been gleaned from a variety of sources. There are no modern equivalents of some; some are the exact same medical term now as then. I've included descriptions and comments for those that aren't obvious from their modern names. If you know any Latin, some are quite obvious. In fact, modern Spanish still uses the Latin bases for most of these! There are no hard and fast times when one would have been used over another, although most folks would agree that many of these terms were still in use until the mid-20th century.

A-B C-D E-

Old Name Modern Name (spelling) Description

ablepsy blindness

ague (malarial) fever a shaking fever

American plague Yellow Fever

Anasarca anasarca generalized massive edema

aphonia laryngitis

aphtha "infant disease" thrush

apoplexy CVA, stroke paralysis due to either bleeding or loss of blood flow to brain

asphycsia, asphicsia asphyxia loss of oxygen

atrophy wasting away, diminishing

bad blood syphilis

bilious fever typhoid, malaria, hepatitis

biliousness jaundice skin turns yellow

black plague, black death bubonic plague

black pox small pox with black blisters

black vomit hematemesis vomiting blood, may be ulcers or yellow fever

blackwater fever dark urine associated with high fevers

black fever an acute infection with high fever, dark red skin lesions. High mortality

bladder in throat diphtheria a membrane in back of throat

blood poisoning sepsis, bacteremia bacterial infection in blood

bloody flux bloody diarrhea

bloody sweat sweating sickness

bone shave sciatica nerve pain in hip or leg

brain fever meningitis

breakbone dengue fever

Bright's disease chronic inflammatory disease of kidneys

Bronze John yellow fever

bule boil, tumor or swelling

cachexy malnutrition (cachectic)

cacogastric upset stomach

cacospysy irregular pulse

caduceus subject to falling sickness or epilepsy; symbol of medicine

camp fever, camp diarrhea typhus, typhoid

canine madness rabies aka hydrophobia

canker aphthous ulcer ulceration of mouth/lips, may include herpes (cold sores)

catalepsy seizures "absence" seizures, trances

catarrhal runny nose

cerebritis cerebritis inflammation of cerebrum, may be due to lead poisoning

chilblain chilblain swelling of extremities due to exposure to cold

child bed fever puerperal fever postpartum infection, may be fatal

chin cough pertussus, whooping cough

chlorosis iron deficiency anemia

cholera cholera acute, severe, contagious diarrhea

cholera morbus nausea, vomiting, cramps, fever. May be acute appendicitis

cholecystitis cholecystitis inflammation of gall bladder

cholelithiasis cholelithiasis gall stones

chorea chorea characterized by convulsions, contortions and dancing

cold plague ague with the chills

colic colic abdominal pain and cramping

congestive chills malaria usually w/ diarrhea

congestive fever malaria

consumption tuberculosis (TB)

congestion any fluid collection, like lungs

corruption any infection

coryza cold

costiveness constipation

cramp colic appendicitis

crop sickness overdistended stomach

croup croup often used for laryngitis, diphtheria, strep throat

cyanosis cyanosis dark (bluish) skin from lack of oxygen

cynanche diseases of the throat

Day fever only one day, sweating sickness

debility debility lack of movement/staying in bed

Old Name	Modern Name (spelling)	Description
ablepsy	blindness
ague	(malarial) fever	a shaking fever
American plague	Yellow Fever
Anasarca	anasarca	generalized massive edema
aphonia	laryngitis
aphtha		"infant disease" thrush
apoplexy	CVA, stroke	paralysis due to either bleeding or loss of blood flow to brain
asphycsia, asphicsia	asphyxia	loss of oxygen
atrophy		wasting away, diminishing
bad blood	syphilis
bilious fever	typhoid, malaria, hepatitis
biliousness	jaundice	skin turns yellow
black plague, black death	bubonic plague
black pox	small pox	with black blisters
black vomit	hematemesis	vomiting blood, may be ulcers or yellow fever
blackwater fever		dark urine associated with high fevers
black fever		an acute infection with high fever, dark red skin lesions. High mortality
bladder in throat	diphtheria	a membrane in back of throat
blood poisoning	sepsis, bacteremia	bacterial infection in blood
bloody flux		bloody diarrhea
bloody sweat		sweating sickness
bone shave	sciatica	nerve pain in hip or leg
brain fever	meningitis
breakbone	dengue fever
Bright's disease		chronic inflammatory disease of kidneys
Bronze John	yellow fever
bule	boil, tumor or swelling
cachexy	malnutrition (cachectic)
cacogastric	upset stomach
cacospysy	irregular pulse
caduceus		subject to falling sickness or epilepsy; symbol of medicine
camp fever, camp diarrhea	typhus, typhoid
canine madness	rabies	aka hydrophobia
canker	aphthous ulcer	ulceration of mouth/lips, may include herpes (cold sores)
catalepsy	seizures	"absence" seizures, trances
catarrhal	runny nose
cerebritis	cerebritis	inflammation of cerebrum, may be due to lead poisoning
chilblain	chilblain	swelling of extremities due to exposure to cold
child bed fever	puerperal fever	postpartum infection, may be fatal
chin cough	pertussus, whooping cough
chlorosis	iron deficiency anemia
cholera	cholera	acute, severe, contagious diarrhea
cholera morbus		nausea, vomiting, cramps, fever. May be acute appendicitis
cholecystitis	cholecystitis	inflammation of gall bladder
cholelithiasis	cholelithiasis	gall stones
chorea	chorea	characterized by convulsions, contortions and dancing
cold plague		ague with the chills
colic	colic	abdominal pain and cramping
congestive chills	malaria	usually w/ diarrhea
congestive fever	malaria
consumption	tuberculosis (TB)
congestion		any fluid collection, like lungs
corruption		any infection
coryza	cold
costiveness	constipation
cramp colic	appendicitis
crop sickness		overdistended stomach
croup	croup	often used for laryngitis, diphtheria, strep throat
cyanosis	cyanosis	dark (bluish) skin from lack of oxygen
cynanche		diseases of the throat
Day fever		only one day, sweating sickness
debility	debility	lack of movement/staying in bed