Medical Terms

This chapter is not an exhaustive or authoritative list of all diseases and obsolete medical terms. Further, the author is not a medical professional and the information contained within this chapter is not for medical use. This chapter is intended to help genealogists understand medical conditions, illnesses, etc. that affected our ancestors.

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A

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. See: boil

 

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. 

 

ague

Malarial or intermittent fever characterized by chills, fever, and sweating at regularly recurring times and followed by an interval or intermission of varying duration. Popularly, the disease was known as "fever and ague," "chill fever," "the shakes," and by names expressive of the locality in which it was prevalent--such as, "swamp fever" (in Louisiana), "Panama fever," and "Chagres fever."

 

American plague

Yellow Fever

 

apoplexy

Paralysis due to a stroke. Sudden diminution or loss of consciousness, sensation, and voluntary motion caused by a rupture or obstruction (as by a clot) of an artery of the brain. Paralysis due to stroke.

 

arteriosclerosis

A chronic disease characterized by abnormal thickening and hardening of the arterial walls.

 

artery

One of the tubular branching muscular, and elastic, walled vessels that carry blood from the heart through the body.