MARY'S GENEALOGY TREASURES

HOME

EMAIL

AB

BC

SK

MB

ON

QC

NB

NF

NT

NS

NU

PE

YN

Surname Registry

AB Pioneers

AB History

Canadian Military

US BDM

US Census

US Military

Pioneer Diseases

Medical Condition and Disease - Then	Present Day Name
AGUE	Malarial Fever
APOPLEXY	Stroke
BILIOUS FEVER	Fever due to a liver disorder
BLACK PLAGUE/BLACK DEATH	Bubonic plague
BLACK POX	Black smallpox
BLACK VOMIT	Vomiting old (black) blood due to ulcers or yellow fever
BLOOD POISONING	Bacterial infection; septicemia
BLOODY FLUX	Dysentery
BLOODY SWEAT	Sweating Sickness
BONE SHAVE	Sciatica
BREAKBONE	Dengue fever
BRIGHT'S DISEASE	Kidney disease, glomerulonephritis
BRONZE JOHN	Yellow fever
CACHEXY	Malnutrition
CACOGASTRIC	Upset Stomach
CACOSPYSY	Irregular pulse
CAMP FEVER	Typhoid fever, aka camp diarrhea
CATALEPSY	Condition which causes seizures, trances, or unconsciousness
CATARRH	Runny eyes & nose, influenza
CHILBLAIN	Swelling of the extremities caused by exposure to cold
CHILDBED FEVER	Infection following childbirth puerperal fever
CHIN COUGH	Whooping cough
CHLOROSIS	Condition of pale or greenish skin, weakness, & dyspepsia
CHOLECYSTITIS	Inflammation of the gall bladder
CHOLELITHIASIS	Stones of the gall bladder
CHOREA	Disease characterized by convulsions, contortions and dancing
COLD PLAGUE	Ague which is characterized by chills
CONGESTIVE CHILLS	Malaria
CONSUMPTION	Pulmonary tuberculosis
CRAMP COLIC	Appendicitis
CROP SICKNESS	Overextended stomach
CROUP	Laryngitis, diphtheria, or strep throat
CYANOSIS	Blueness of skin due to lack of oxygen
CYNANCHE	Diseases of the throat
CYSTITIS	Inflammation of the bladder
DAY FEVER	A fever lasting one day, sweating sickness
DECREPITUDE	Feebleness due to old age
DELIRIUM TREMENS	Hallucinations due to Alcoholism
DENGUE	Infectious fever endemic to East Africa
DENTITION	Cutting of the teeth
DEPLUMATION	Tumor of the eyelids which causes hair loss
DIARY FEVER	A fever lasting one day
DIPTHERIA	Contagious disease of the throat
DOCK FEVER	Yellow Fever
DROPSY	Congestive Heart Failure
DROPSY OF THE BRAIN	Encephalitis
DRY BELLYACHE	Lead poisoning
DYSCRASY	An abnormal body condition
DYSOREXY	reduced appetite
DYSPEPSIA	Bad digestion
DYSURY	Difficulty in urination
ECLAMPSY	Symptoms of epilepsy, convulsions during labor
ECSTASY	A form of catalepsy characterized by loss of reason
EDEMA	Nephrosis, swelling of tissues
EDEMA OF LUNGS	Congestive heart failure, a form of dropsy
EEL THING	Erysipelas
ELEPHANTIASIS	A form of leprosy
ENCEPHALITIS	Swelling of the brain, aka sleeping sickness
ENTERIC FEVER	Typhoid fever
ENTEROCOLITIS	Inflammation of the intestines
ENTERITIS	Inflammation of the bowels
EPITAXIS	Nose Bleed
ERYSIPELAS	Skin disease caused by an infection of the blood aka St. Anthony's Fire
FATTY LIVER	Cirrhosis of the liver
FLUX	Discharge of fluid from the body
FLUX OF HUMOR	Circulation
GATHERING	A collection of pus
GLANDULAR FEVER	Mononucleosis
GRIPPE	The flu; influenza
GROCER'S ITCH	Skin disease caused by mites in sugar and flour
HEART SICKNESS	Condition caused by loss of salt from the body
HECTICAL COMPLAINT	Recurrent fever
HEMATEMESIS	Vomiting blood
HEMATURIA	Bloody urine
HEMIPLEGY	Paralysis of one side of the body
HORRORS	Delirium tremens
HYDROCEPHALUS	Dropsy of the brain, water on the brain
HYDROPERICARDIUM	Heart dropsy
HYDROPHOBIA	Fear of water, rabies
HYDROTHORAX	Dropsy in the chest
HYERTROPY OF HEART	Enlarged heart
IMPETIGO	Contagious skin desease characterized by pustules
INFANTILE PARALYSIS	Polio
INTESTINAL COLIC	Abdominal pain due to improper diet
JAIL FEVER	Typhus
JAUNDICE	Condition caused by blockage of the intestines
KEUCHHUSTEN	Whooping cough
KING'S EVIL	Scrofula
LOCK JAW	Tetanus
LUNG FEVER	Pneumonia
LUNG SICKNESS	Tuberculosis
MARASMUS	Condition caused by malnutrition or intestinal disease
MENINGITIS	Inflammation of the brain or spinal cord
MIASMAM	Poisonous vapors thought to infect the air
MILK FEVER	Fever which affects lactating women
MILK SICKNESS	Disease from the milk from cattle which had eaten poisonous weeds
MORMAL	Gangrene
MORPHEW	Scurvy blisters on the body
MYELITIS	Inflammation of the spine
MYOCARDITITS	Inflammation of the heart muscles
NECROSIS	Mortification of bones or tissue
NEPRITIS	Inflammation of the kidneys
NEPHROSIS	Kidney degeneration
NEURALGIA	Affliction of the nerves causing pain
PALSY	Paralysis or loss of muscle control
PAROXYSM	Convulsion
PEMPHIGUS	Skin disease of watery blisters
PERICARDITITS	Inflammation of the heart
PERIPNEUMONIA	Inflammation of the lungs
PERITONITIS	Inflammation of the abdominal area
PETECHIAL FEVER	Fever characterized by spotting of the skin
PHTHIRIASIS	Lice infestation
PHTHISIS	Wasting away of the body due to tuberculosis or consumption
PLEURISY	Inflammation of the thorax
PODAGRA	Gout
POLIOMYELITIS	Polio
POTTER'S ASTHMA	Fibroid phthisis
POTT'S DISEASE	Tuberculosis of the spine
PUERPERAL EXHAUSTION	Death due to childbirth
PUERPERAL FEVER	Septic poisoning associated with childbirth
PUKING FEVER	Milk sickness
PUTRID FEVER	Typhus or diphtheria
QUINSY	Streptococcal tonsillitis
REMITTING FEVER	Malaria
RHEUMATISM	Disease of the joints
RICKETS	Disease of the skeletal system
RUBEOLA	German Measles
SAINT ANTHONY'S FIRE	Erysipelas
SAINT VITUS' DANCE	Chorea
SCARIATINA	Scarlet Fever
SCARLET FEVER	A disease characterized by a red rash and sore throat
SCARLET RASH	Roseola
SCIATICA	Rheumatism in the hips
SCIRRHUS	Cancerous tumors
SCOTOMY	Dizziness, nausea, and dimness of sight
SCRIVENER'S PALSY	Writer's cramp
SCROFULA	Tuberculosis of the neck lymph nodes
SCRUMPOX	Skin disease, impetigo
SEPTICEMIA	Blood Poisoning
SHAKES	Delilrium tremens
SHAKING	Chills, Ague
SHINGLES	Viral diseases characterized by skin blisters
SHIP FEVER	Typhus
SIRASIS	Inflammation of the brain due to sun exposure
SLOES	Milk Sickness
SMALL POX	Contagious disease characterized by fever and blisters
SOFTENING OF THE BRAIN	Apoplexy
SPANISH INFLUENZE	An epidemic influenza
SPINA BIFIDA	Deformity of the spine
SPOTTED FEVER	Typhus, cerebrospinal meningitis fever
SPRUE	Tropical disease characterized by intestinal disorders and sore throat
STOMATITIS	Inflammation of the mouth
STRANGER'S FEVER	Yellow Fever
SUDOR ANGLICUS	Sweating sickness
SUMMER COMPLAINT	Diarrhea
SWEATING SICKNESS	Infectious & fatal disease common to the UK in the 15th century
TETANUS	Infectious fever characterized by high fever headache, and dizziness
THROMBOSIS	Blood clot inside a blood vessel
THRUSH	Childhood disease charaterized by white spots on the mouth, lips, and throut
TOXEMIA OF PREGNANCY	Eclampsia
TUSSIS CONVULSIVA	Whooping cough
TYPHUS	Infectious fever characterized by high fever headache, and dizziness
VIPER'S DANCE	Saint Vitus' Dance
WINTER FEVER	Pneumonia

Illnesses and Remedies

Taken from "Heritage of the High Country, A History of Del Bonita
and Surrounding Districts - Pages 236 - 237

Disclaimer - The Family History Center and the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are not responsible for persons
using these remedies. These remedies were used by Pioneers
and are not recommended for today's use.

• SORE THROAT - Chew freshly cut spruce gum or tie a small salt
  herring snugly around the neck. The throat will feel much better.

• HIGH FEVERS - Roasted beef kidneys tied to the soles of the
  feet break a fever. These fibrous organs will hold heat indefinately
  and induce sweating thus temporarily lowering body temperature.

• FLU AND THE LIKE - A camphor cake secured in a flannel bag
  worn around the neck will ward off flu and other infectious diseases.
  Because of the fumes, no one will come close enough to you to pass
  on germs.

• COLD SORES - Put honey faithfully on the sore every hour.
  If applied all day this will make any girl blemish-free and ready
  for a box social by night. This also works on shingles, burns, and
  warts, but healing takes longer.

• ARTHRITIS AND OTHER ACHES - Heat bear fat to a warm
  grease and rub on painful parts. Wrap in warm flannel. Applied
  heat is effective to relieve pain and inflammation, and oiled
  flannel holds warmth. Save any discarded animal fat. For
  other aches you can fill a woollen sock with coarse salt,
  tie both ends and heat it. Hot flat salt packs ease all
  sorts of body pains.

• BOILS -
  1. Apply a poultice of brown sugar and soap shavings.
  2. Apply a Vicks poultice.
  3. Take 1 cup of corn meal, 2 onions cut up fine, 2
     ounces of laundry soap; mix and apply as a hot poultice.
  4. Wear a necklace of nutmeg. The less adventurous
     can use a plain bread poultice.

• SEVERE CUTS - Gather cobwebs, pack tightly to
  the wound, and bleeding will stop. Spiders spin natural
  silk. The fibrous network of the web is structurally
  similar to the soluble protein fibrinogen in our blood
  that hastens clotting.

• COUGH - Grandma made her own Formula 44.
  She boiled 1/4 cup of molasses, one tblsp. each of
  butter and vinegar, and a small onion.

• MRS. NEWTON'S remedy for bronchitis and
  colds was the syrup made with brown sugar and
  onions.

• STINGS - Dianne Gruninger - Put mud on any
  sting to stop the swelling. This advice was given
  by a doctor.

• FOR HEALING - Verda Farries - Aloe Vera Jel
  applied on any sore.

• HEADACHE -
  1. Lay down with a damp cloth on forehead and
     thinly sliced potatoes on cloth, when potatoes turn
     dark the headache will be gone.
  2. Apply medicated ointment to the forehead.

• RHEUMATISM -
  1. For painful points apply equal parts of vinegar
     and whiskey.
  2. Put some cucumbers in a pot over a slow fire,
     add a little salt and leave over the fire for an hour.
     Press the juice from the cucumbers, bottle tightly
     and place in the cellar for a week. Wet a flannel
     cloth with this liquid and apply to the painful parts.

• WARTS -
  1. Sell your wart to someone for five cents.
  2. Rub raw potatoes on the wart then bury the
     potatoes. When the potato is rotten the wart
     will be gone.

• DIARRHEA - Linnea Bowen - Mix 1/2 tsp.
  coal soot and 1/2 tsp. of sugar and eat it.

• CURE FOR CORNS - Verda Farries - Put castor
  oil on cotton batten, put on corn, repeat for a few
  days.

• STOMACH CRAMPS - Verda Farries - Rawleigh's
  red liniment and cream.

• HICCUPS - Pat Graveland - Eat 1 tsp of sugar.

• PRAIRIE ITCH - Mrs. Mains - Take a bath,
  then rub on red pirsifit and lard.

• RING WORM - Rub on gun powder and
  lard. For a pain always give a dose of salts

• HEADACHE - mix 1/4 c. lemon juice and
  1/4 c. of cold water. Drink

• HAIR DYE - Grandma used sage tea made
  from brewing garden sage, with sulphur and alcohol
  added to bring back color to grey hair.

• CHEST CONGESTION - Old Fashioned Mustard
  Plaster Poulice
  • Mix together 1 1/2 cup flour and three level tablespoons
    of Keen's dry mustard.
    
  • Using warm water, mix flour and mustard to a paste thick
    enough to spread on an old cloth or two or three thicknesses
    of newspaper. It should be large enought to turn the edges
    under and large enough to cover the chest.
    
  • Cover with a towel and watch it closely.
    
  • As soon as the chest turns quite pink, remove the poultice.
    Turn it over and place it on the person's back. As soon as
    the person's back is quite pink, remove it and discard the
    poultice.
    
  • After removing poultice, put a small amount of vaseline on
    chest and back.
    
  • Keep person warm

• ONION COUGH SYRUP - Take a large onion and chop fine.
  Cover with sugar and let it rest for a while. Add 1 tablespoon
  of water. Letting it sit will draw the onion flavor out of the onion.
  Use the liquid for cough syrup.

Return Alberta Histories