Old time Diseases

             Here are just a few of the old diseases that you are likely to run across in your research along with their modern definition.

Ablepsy  Blindness 
Ague   Malarial Fever
American Plague Yellow Fever
Anasarca Massive Edema
Aphonia Laryngitis
Aphtha  thrush (infant disease)
Apoplexy Paralysis due to stroke
Asphycsia Cyanotic lack of oxygen
Atrophy  wasting away
Bad Blood  Syphilis
Bilious fever Typhoid, malaria, hepatitis 
Biliousness  Jaundice associated with liver disease
Black plague  Bubonic plague 
Black Pox  Black Small Pox
Black Vomit Vomiting old black blood due to ulcer or yellow fever
Black water fever  Dark urine associated with high temp
Bladder in throat Diphtheria 
Blood poisoning  Bacterial infection; septicemia
Bloody Flux  Bloody Stools
Bloody Sweat Sweating sickness
Bone shave  Sciatica
Brain Fever  Meningitis 
Break bone Dengue fever a infectious fever endemic to East Africa
Bright's Disease Catch all phrase for disease of kidneys
Bronze John  Yellow fever 
Bule  Boil, tumor or swelling 
Cachexia   Malnutrition 
Cacogastric Upset Stomach 
Cacospysy  Irregular pulse 
Caduceus  Subject to falling sickness or epilepsy 
Camp Fever Typhus
Canine madness Rabies
Canker  Ulceration of mouth or lips or herpes  
Catalepsy  Seizures or trances 
Catarrhal  Nose and throat discharge from cold or allergy 
Cerebritis  Inflammation of cerebrum or lead poisoning 
Chilblain Swelling of extremities caused by exposure to cold
Child bed fever  Infection following birth of child 
Chin cough  Whooping cough 
Chlorosis  Anemia
Cholera morbus  gastrointestinal illness characterized by griping, diarrhea, and sometimes vomiting
Cholecystitus  Inflammation of the gall bladder
Cholelithiasis  Gall stones
Chorea  Nervous disorder characterized by convulsions, contortions and dancing (St. Vitus Dance)
Cold plague Ague which is characterized by chills
Colic  An abdominal pain and cramping 
Commotion Concussion
Congestive Chills  Malaria 
Consumption  Tuberculosis 
Congestion  Any collection of fluid in an organ, like the lungs 
Congestive chills  Malaria with diarrhea
Congestive fever Malaria 
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 Diseases of throat 
Cystitis  Inflammation of the bladder 
Day Fever Fever lasting one day; sweating sickness
Death From Teething  Tooth infections with inflammation and cellulites 
Debility Lack of movement or staying in bed
Decrepitude Feebleness due to old age 
Delirium tremens Hallucinations due to alcoholism
Dentition Cutting of teeth 
Deplumation  Tumor of the eyelids which causes hair loss
Diary fever a fever that lasts one day
Diphtheria Contagious disease of the throat
Dock fever Yellow fever 
Domestic Illness  Mental breakdown, depression, Alzheimer's, Parkinson, 
the after effects of a stroke, any condition that kept a person house bound
Dropsy  Edema (swelling), often caused by kidney or heart disease 
Dropsy of the brain Encephalitis 
Dry Bellyache  Lead poisoning 
Dyscrasy  An abnormal body condition and especially the blood
Dysentery Inflammation of colon with frequent passage of mucous and blood 
Dysorexy  Reduced appetite
Dyspepsia  Indigestion and heartburn. Heart attack symptoms 
Dysury  Difficulty in urination 
Eclampsy Symptoms of epilepsy, convulsions during labor 
Ecstasy A form of catalepsy characterized by loss of reason 
Edema swelling of tissues 
Edema of lungs Congestive heart failure, a form of dropsey 
Elephantiasis A form of leprosy 
Encephalitis Swelling of brain; (sleeping sickness)
Enteric fever Typhoid fever 
Enterocolitis Inflammation of the intestines
Enteritis Inflammation of the bowels
Epitaxis  Nose bleed
Erysipelas  Contagious skin disease, due to Streptococci with vesicular and bulbous lesions 
Extravasted blood Rupture of the blood vessel
Falling sickness Epilepsy 
Fatty Liver Cirrhosis of the liver
Fits Sudden attack or seizure of muscle activity 
Flux  An excessive flow of discharge of fluid like hemorrhage or diarrhea 
Flux of humour Circulation 
French Pox  Syphilis 
Gathering A collection of pus 
Glandular fever Mononucleosis
Great pox Syphilis 
Green fever/sickness Anemia 
Grippe/grip Influenza like symptoms  
Grocer's Itch Skin disease caused by mites in sugar or flour 
Heart Sickness Condition caused by loss of salt from body 
Heat Stroke Body temp elevates because of surrounding environment temp and body does not perspire to reduce temp. Coma and death result if not reversed
Hectical Complaint  Recurrent fever
Hematemesis  Vomiting blood 
Hematuria Bloody Urine 
Hemiplegy  Paralysis of one side of the body  
Hip gout Osteomylitis a staph infection
Horrors Delirium tremens 
Hydrocephalus  Enlarged head , water on the brain 
Hydropercardium Heart dropsy 
Hydrophobia Rabies
Hydrothroax  Dropy in chest
Hypertrophic  Enlargement of organ, like the heart
Impetigo Contagious skin disease characterized by pustules
Inanition Physical condition resulting from lack of food 
Polio  Infantile paralysis
Intestinal colic Abdominal pain due to improper diet 
Jail fever Typhus 
Jaundice Condition caused by blockage of intestines 
King's Evil  Tuberculosis of neck and lymph glands 
Kruchhusten  Whooping cough
Lagrippe Influenza 
Lockjaw  Tetanus or infectious disease affecting the muscles of the neck and jaw. Untreated, it is fatal in 8 days.
Lung sickness Tuberculosis
Lues disease Syphilis 
Lues venera Venereal disease 
Lumbago Back pain
Lung fever Pneumonia
Lung sickness  Tuberculosis 
Lying in Time of delivery of infant 
Malignant sore throat  Diphtheria 
Mania  Insanity 
Marasmus Progressive wasting away of body, like malnutrition
Membranous Croup Diphtheria 
Meningitis Inflammations 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
Milk leg A painful swelling of the leg beginning at the ankle and 
ascending, or at the groin and extending down the thigh. It's usual cause is infection after labor.
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 
Myelitis  Inflammation of the spine 
Myocarditis Inflammation of heart muscles 
Necrosis Mortification of bones or tissue
Nephrosis  Kidney degeneration 
Nepritis 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
Nostalgia Homesickness 
Palsy  Paralysis or uncontrolled movement of controlled muscles  
Paroxysm Convulsion
Pemphigus  Skin disease of watery blisters
Pericarditis Inflammation of heart
Peripnemonia Inflammation of lungs 
Peritonotis Inflammation of abdominal area
Petechial Fever Fever characterized by skin spotting 
Peurperal exhaustion Death due to child birth 
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
Podagra Gout
Poliomyelitis Polio Potter's asthma
Pott's Disease  Tuberculosis of spine
Puerperal exhaustion Death due to child birth 
Puerperal fever Elevated temperature after giving birth to an infant
Puking fever Milk sickness
Putrid fever Diphtheria
Quinsy Tonsillitis 
Remitting fever Malaria
Rheumatism Any disorder associated with pain in joints
Rickets Disease of skeletal system
Rose Cold Hay fever or nasal symptoms of an allergy
Rotanny fever A Child's disease 
Rubeola German measles
Sanguineous crust Scab
Scarlatina Scarlet fever 
Scarlet fever A disease characterized by red rash
Scarlet rash Roseola 
Sciatica  Rheumatism in the hips 
Scirrhus Cancerous tumors
Scotomy Dizziness, nausea and dimness of sight
Scrivener's palsy Writer's cramp 
Screws Rheumatism 
Scrofula or Kings Evil Tuberculosis of the lymphatic glands. So called because formerly supposed to be healed by the touch of a king
Scrum pox Skin disease, impetigo 
Scurvy Lack of vitamin C
Septicemia Blood poisoning 
Shakes Delirium tremens
Shaking Chills, ague 
Shingles Viral disease 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
Sore throat distemper Diphtheria or quinsy
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 involuntarily
Stomatitis Inflammation of the mouth
Stranger's Fever Yellow fever
Strangery Rupture
Sudor anglicus Sweating sickness 
Summer complaint Diarrhea, usually in infants caused by spoiled milk
Sunstroke Uncontrolled elevation of body temp due to environmental heat. Lack of sodium in the body is a predisposing cause
Swamp sickness Could be malaria, typhoid or encephalitis 
Sweating Sickness  Infectious and fatal disease common to UK in the 15th 
century 
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
Trench mouth Painful ulcers found along gum line, caused by poor nutrition and poor hygiene
Tussis convulsia Whooping cough 
Typhus Infectious fever characterized by high fever, headache and dizziness
Variola  Smallpox
Venesection Bleeding
Viper's Dance St. Vitus Dance
Water on the brain Enlarged head 
White swelling Tuberculosis of the bone
Winter fever Pneumonia 
Womb fever Infection of the uterus
Worm fit Convulsions associated with teething, worms, elevated temp or diarrhea
Yellow jacket Yellow fever