List of deprecated terms for diseases
Obsolete term Preferred term Notes
Apoplexy Stroke Also a general term for internal bleeding in a specific organ
Bends Decompression sickness Referred to the associated musculoskeletal issues of decompression illness
Bilious remitting fever Dengue fever Used in reference to a 1780 outbreak in Philadelphia
Break-bone fever Dengue fever Used in reference to a 1780 outbreak in Philadelphia
Break-heart fever Dengue fever
Chokes Decompression sickness Referred to the associated breathing issues of decompression illness
Consumption Tuberculosis So-called due to the wasting that occurs in the late stages of infection
Dandy fever Dengue fever A reference to the mincing walk adopted by sufferers
Dropsy Edema
Dum-dum fever Leishmaniasis The term is derived from the city of Dum Dum , the site of an outbreak
English disease Rickets So named due to its prevalence in English slums
French disease Syphilis Used as an ethnic slur against the French
Front-street fever Dengue fever Used in reference to a 1780 outbreak in Philadelphia
Gleet Gonorrhea Usually refers to gonorrhea that is in semi-remission
Great pox Syphilis Used as a term of comparison to smallpox
Grippe Influenza From the French
King 's evil Tuberculous cervical lymphadenitis From the belief that the disease could be cured by a royal touch
Lockjaw Trismus The term is sometimes used as a synonym for tetanus , which usually first manifests as trismus
Norwalk virus Norovirus Named after the town of Norwalk , Ohio , where the disease was first distinctly identified
Phthisis Tuberculosis From the Greek word for consumption
The following is a list of deprecated terms for diseases .
The following is a list of deprecated terms for diseases.