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Outdated medical terminology

Over time, many disease names have changed.
This is a list of some of the old terms that you may come across and their current names.

Outdated Term Current Term Description
apoplexy stroke aneurism blocking blood flow to the brain
bad blood syphilis serious venereal disease that in its final stage causes
terminal mental deterioration
blood poisoning septicemia overwhelming bacterial infection
Bright's disease glomerulonephritis serious kidney disease
consumption tuberculosis, pulmonary disease that destroys the lungs
it is caused by an airborne bacillus
cretinism hypothyroidism, congenital severe mental and physical retardation caused by
thyroid deficiency, an inherited condition
dropsy congestive heart failure, edema condition in which a watery fluid collects in certain
cavities of the body, usually accompanied by swelling
fatty liver cirrhosis degeneration of liver cells and hardening due to
great increase of fibrous tissues in the liver
glandular fever mononucleosis abnormal increase in the number of mononuclear
leucocytes in the blood, resembles a chronic 'flu
grippe influenza (flu) pandemically recurring contagious infection with
cold-like symptoms, killed lots of people in 1918
jail fever typhus high fever, extreme weakness, dark-red spots on the
skin and stupor or delirium caused by a rickettsia
carried by fleas, lice, mites, or ticks
The King's Evil tuberculosis of the
neck lymph nodes
see: scrofula
lock jaw tetanus violent spasms,stiffness of muscles, and even death
caused by bacilli entering the body through wounds
(commonly punctures). Vaccination can prevent it
lung fever pneumonia accumulation of fluids in the lungs
lung sickness tuberculosis see: consumption
plague/black death Bubonic plague high fever, chills, and swelling of the lymph glands
usually carried to humans by fleas from rats and squirrels
often it is accompanied by blackish bruising of the skin
podagra gout deposit of uric acid salts in and around the joints
Pott's disease tuberculosis of
the spinal vertebrae
often results in a marked curvature of the spine
caused by the destruction of affected vertebrae
quinsy streptococcal tonsillitis very sore throat with abcess and/or pus in the tonsils
scrofula (aka: King's Evil) tuberculosis of the
neck lymph nodes
enlargement of the lymphatic glands and
inflammation of the joints caused by a bacillus
toxemia of pregnancy eclampsia high blood pressure & seizures with edema

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