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Civil War and 19th Century Medical Terminology

Civil War and 19th Century Medical Terminology
PhraseMeaning
Abcpsia blindness
Abscessus A swollen, inflamed area of the body where pus gathers
Acuta Severe
Aegrotantem illness, sickness
Ague recurring fever and chills of malaria
Ambustio A burn or scald
Anasaica Generalized edema or generalized dropsy
Anchylosis A stiffening of the joints
Aphonia A lost of voice due to organic or psychological causes
Apoplexy stroke
Ascites Accumulation of serous fluid in the abdominal cavity
Bad Blood syphilis
Bilious fever fever caused by liver disorder
Black Death Bubonic plague
Bloody Flux dysentery
Bright’s Disease kidney disease
Catarrh Inflammation of mucous membrane most commonly in the throat and nose, accompanied by an increased secretion mucous, sometimes accompanied by fever, or, rarely cerebral hemorrhage
Cephalalgia Headache
Chilblain swelling of the extremities caused by exposure to cold
Chin Cough Whooping Cough
Chorea disease characterized by convulsions and contortions
Chronic Continuing for a long period of time
Colica Acute abdominal pains, caused by abnormal condition of the bowel
Communis ??
Congestiva Excessive accumulation of blood in parts of the body
Congestive Fever Malaria
Conjunctivitis Inflamation of the eye or eyelid
Consecutiva Unrelated illness following another
Constipatio Constipation
Consumption Tuberculosis
Continua Without interruption
Contusio A bruise or injury where the skin is not broken
Cramp Colic appendicitis
Cretinism congenital hypothyroidism
Crop Sickness overextended stomach
Croup laryngitis, diphtheria, or strep throat
Debilitas Weakness or feebleness
Debility Weakness or feebleness
Delirium Tremens hallucinations & seizures due to alcohol withdrawal
Diphtheria contagious disease of the throat
Dresser surgeon’s assistant in a hospital
Dropsy of the Brain encephalitis
Dropsy edema, congestive heart failure
Dysentery Inflammation of intestinal membrane
Dyspepsia Acid indigestion
Encephalitis swelling of the brain, aka sleeping sickness
Enteritis inflammation of the bowels
Erysipelas An acute infectious disease of the mucous membranes characterized by the inflamation of the skin, accompanied by a fever.
Febris fever
Flux discharge of fluid from the body
Galloping Consumption Pulmonary Tuberculosis
Glandular Fever mononucleosis
Green Sickness Anemia
Gripe Influenza
Hemophthis Spitting of blood
Hemorrhia Heavy Bleeding>
Herpes An inflammatory virus disease of the skin or mucous membranes
Incipt Hydrothorax An abnormal amount of watery fluid in the pleural cavity
Infantile Paralysis polio
Intermitten (intermittent) Stopping and Starting
Jail Fever typhus
Jaundice yellowing of the skin due to liver dysfunction (hyperbilirubinemia)
Lock Jaw tetanus
Lumbago A Back Ache
Lung Fever pneumonia
Lung Sickness tuberculosis
Mania insanity
Miasma poisonous vapors thought to infect the air
Milk Sickness disease from the milk from cattle which had eaten poisonous weeds
Morbi Cutis A skin disease
Morsal Gangrene
Mortis death
Myelitis inflammation of the spine
Myocarditits inflammation of the heart muscles
Necrosis mortification of bones or tissue, usually skin
Nephritis inflammation of the kidneys
Obit died
Ophthalmia Relating to the Eye(s)
Otalgia Earache
Palsy paralysis or loss of muscle control
Paronychia A painful, pus-producing inflamation at the end of a toe or finger
Parotitis Mumps
Paroxysm convulsion
Phlegmon Inflamation, especially of the connective tissues, leading to ulceration or abscess
Phthisis Pulmonalis A wasting away of the body or any part as in tuberculosis
Pleurisy Inflammation of the lung
Pleuritis Pleurisy
Podagra gout
Pott’s Disease tuberculosis of the spinal vertebrae
Pox Syphilis
Pulmonalis Relating to the heart
Putrid Fever diptheria or typhus
Qyotidiana A fever occurring or returning daily
Remitten (Remittent) A fever that drops, but does not altogether disappear
Rickets disease of the skeletal system
Rubeola Measles
Scarlet Fever disease characterized by a red rash and sore
Scorbutus Scurvy
Screws Rheumatism
Scrofula tuberculosis of the neck lymph nodes or lymphatic glands
Ship’s Fever Typhus
Softening of the Brain apoplexy
Spotted Fever typhus, cerebrospinal meningitis fever
St. Vitus Dance Nervous twitches, chorea
Sub-Laxatio An incomplete dislocation
Variola Smallpox
Varix Varicose veins
Venesection Bleeding
Viper’s Dance St. Vitus’ Dance, chorea
Vulnus Incisum Relating to a wound caused by a cut
Vulnus Punctum Relating to a wound caused by a puncture
Vulnus Sclopeticum Relating to a wound caused by a gunshot wound
Vulnus Relating to a wound
Whitlow See Paronychia
Winter Fever pneumonia
Yellow Jacket (Yellow Jack and General Yellow Jack) Yellow Fever

Document created November 3, 1997