Joanne, An even longer list of such archaic disease names can be found at: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~njmorris/general_info/disease.htm This list is generally consistent with your list from the WSJ. Enjoy Hugh Miller On May 5, 2012, at 12:45 PM, Hugh Miller wrote: > Message: 1 > Date: Fri, 4 May 2012 12:21:24 +0000 > From: Joanne Steckling <joanne@jsteckling.com> > Subject: [ROOTS-L] Archaic diseases > To: "roots@rootsweb.com" <roots@rootsweb.com> > Message-ID: > <72A9F2BC0449B64DA54956162D431248A367C6@VF-EXCH-4.vectorform.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > > Hi all- > I came across an article in the Wall St Journal with a list of archaic diseases found mentioned in classic literature. I thought it might help those of you who find these terms on ancestor's death certificates or in family histories: > Ague= malarial fever > Brain fever = meningitis > Catarrh= inflammation that leads to mucous discharge from nose or throat > Consumption=tuberculosis > Grippe = influenza > Humid tetter = eczema > Jail fever or ship fever = typhus > Low Spirits = depression > Lues venereal = syphillis > Morphew = scurvy blisters, caused by insufficient levels of vitamin C > Podagra= gout > Stopping = constipation > Variola = smallpox. > > Joanne Steckling > > Reply to: hthm2@comcast.net