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.
Click a letter to open that page of the dictionary:
A virus transmitted by mosquitoes. It is a viral, often
fatal, disease that causes vomiting and jaundice, and destroys
the liver. Sailors called it 'yellow jack' while Mexicans called
it 'vomito' ... a very apt name. Someone with yellow fever will
have red eyes, yellow skin and cough and retch often; and their
vomit may be black.
Today, yellow fever still exists in less developed areas where
mosquito control is not well established or consistent (i.e.,
areas of Africa and South America).
