Some time ago I came across this article on the web. I am passing it along for
the benefit of anyone who would like a copy.
As people research their families, they will run into names for
illness and conditions that are unusual or no longer used. These will be found
on death certificates, letters, wills, diary entries, legal documents, and
many other forms of records of the day. The names for these ailments can be
different in various regions of the country, depending on the ethnic
background of the inhabitants, but I have gathered a list of some of those
generally used in northern Wisconsin, along with the descriptions used in
those times. Sometimes patterns can be found in families. Regardless, it is
interesting to know what is being described and gives tremendous
insight as to the many common maladies that were a part of life.
Ague - chills and fever
Bilius - a very painful type of headache that was almost completely
debilitating in it's worst form. Thought to be an early name for
migraine.
Boils - very large abscesses beneath the skin surface contain copious
infection, followed by puss drainage. Sometimes come in clusters.
Bright's Disease - symptoms come on gradually with pain that is too
frequent in the back, thick, muddy, or clear frothy urine, general
weakness, drowsiness and disability, sometimes continual headache,
dizziness, and pains in the back of the limbs.
Catarrh - chronic redness, swelling and drainage of the nose and throat
lining, accompanied by thick mucus discharge and pain across the
forehead.
Chilblains - related to frostbite of the feet and sometimes hands. Open
sores resulted and skin was red swollen and painful in general.
Consumption - degenerative and destructive diseases of the lungs. Most
often associated with Tuberculosis(which was a very common and serious
disease in both rural and urban northern Wisconsin during the 1800's,
before the advent of antibiotic treatment). Less often associated as the
end result of smoker's lung disease (cancer).
Dropsy - build up of fluid in the feet, lower legs and lungs. Generally
associated with the weakened heart muscles of congestive heart failure,
which slows blood circulation. However it was also caused by diseased or
damaged liver and kidneys. Often a lingering condition, death was
usually caused by pneumonia from lung congestion.
Dysentery - frequently fatal in summer and autumn, this disease starts
with a sensation and heaviness and weight around the anus, there are
violent cutting pains and severe pressing pains in the bowel, followed
by frequent bloody and mucousy stools. Sometimes there is high fever,
and sometimes little or none at all.
Dyspepsia - also known as "weak stomach", a chronic and "permanent"
problem with digestion where even the smallest amounts of mild food
cause a "heaviness and uneasiness of the stomach" described as feeling
like a rock. Also there is constipation and "lowness of spirit" in the
confirmed dyspeptic, accompanied by "a sourness that rises from the
stomach", hemorrhoids, and flatulency.
Erysipelas - starts as a reddening of a patch of skin, usually on the
face, which is very smooth and shiny, which spreads to other parts of
the body. Accompanied by chills, fever, loss of appetite, and scanty
urination. Sometimes abscesses form on the skin and blood poisoning and
meningitis could be serious complication.
Felon or Bone Felon - Infected abscesses of the hands and fingers
Colic - abdominal pain usually associated with children, but also used
regarding adult humans, cattle, horses. Loss of appetite from cramping
often resulted in weakness and dehydration.
Fits - also known as falling fits, and convulsions. Sporatic seizures
caused by brain damage from injury, prolonged high fever, epilepsy,
brain tumors, or rabid animal bites. .
Flux - persistent diarrhea that sometimes includes passing blood.
Especially dangerous with young children.
Goitre - also called "big neck", an enlarged tumor type growth at or
near the front base of the neck. It was a malfunction of the thyroid
gland often due to lack of adequate Iodine in the diet, but sometimes
attributed to injury or other conditions.
Gravel - kidney stones being passed with the urine. An extremely painful
condition persisting until all the stones have passed through the
ureters, through the bladder and out the urethra. If all stones are not
passed blockage occurs and the kidney becomes distended and useless. If both
kidneys are blocked, death from uremia results.
Gout - severe sharp pain shooting up from the first joint of the big
toe. Can eventually develop redness and persistent painful swelling
that limits mobility. Often accompanied by headache, neuralgic pains,
drowsiness and a tender sore throat. Thought to be caused by eating and
drinking too much rich food.
Hives - the sudden onset of small swollen red "wheels" or scattered rash
that itches and burns, often followed by fever and upset stomach
Lock Jaw - (Tetanus) high fever, muscle spasm over the entire body, which
causes the back to arch and jaw to clamp shut. Death results
Lumbago - described as a "crick" in the back or a painful rheumatic
stiffness across the loins and back.
Lumps - a general term for a swollen part of the body, due to any number
of reasons.
LaGrippe - symptoms start with chills, sneezing, and a cold in the head,
followed by cough, fever and occasionally pneumonia, especially in
infants and elderly. These progress to sore throat, general body aching,
weakness and the individual becomes low-spirited.
Nervous Prostration - also called Neuasthemia, produced irritability,
despondency, fear, sleeplessness, physical exhaustion, poor appetite,
spells of dizziness, trembling, palpations of the heart, backache, and
headache in the back of the head. Thought to be brought on by too much
worry and care, too much excitement, too many parties, and excesses of
all kinds.
Pellagra - swollen hands, sometimes leading to cracking skin.
Piles - rectal hemorrhoids
Prickly Heat - also called Heat Rash, reddened, wet itching skin
vesicles, especially in moist areas of skin such as armpits, groin, and
where clothes rub. Sometimes accompanied by a burning sensation and
fever.
Proud Flesh - a hot, red swelling of the skin, it is painful and
persistent, sometimes lasting for years. Often associated with the face,
but appears anywhere.
Quinsy - begins with redness and swelling of the throat and tonsils,
bringing on difficult and painful swallowing, followed by general
weakness and fever, sometimes ending in ulceration of the tonsils.
Rheumatism - painful redness and swelling of the joints and sometimes
muscles. Affected area(s) is fevered, tender to touch, and lame in
movement. Affected area may shift from one place to another in the body.
Can become very debilitating.
St. Vitas Dance - sometimes called palsy and nervous shakes, the
continuous and uncontrollable movement of the hand and feet.
Scalding Pain - see Proud Flesh
Sciatica - a pain that is felt behind the thigh, from the hip down
towards the knee, and sometimes right down to the heel. It is painful
and persistent.
Shingles - small sack-like skin eruptions that appear as painful blister
on the chest and along the sides of the body.
Smallpox - comes on with severe pain in the back, chills occur with
intense headache followed by high fever. The rash comes on the third day
looking at first like measles or scarlet fever. About the eighth day
postules appear on the face and arms which gradually form crusts which
when they fall off, leave permanent "pits", or scars, in the skin.
Various internal organs may be affected and bronchitis, pneumonia, or
kidney inflammation may occur. Often fatal.
The Winds - digestive flatulence, passing gas.
Walking Pneumonia - appears as a common cold with sniffles and watery eyes.
Causes fatique, but does not confine the person to bed until sudden
fulminating chest conjestion appears. Death occurs shortly thereafter.