Definition

Noun: * Severe gastroenteritis of unknown etiology; characterized by severe colic and vomiting and diarrhea: A historical medical term for a severe, acute gastrointestinal illness causing intense abdominal cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea. It was distinguished from the more deadly infectious disease, Asiatic cholera.

Usage Notes

• Historical Term: "Cholera morbus" is an archaic term primarily used in historical or medical history contexts. It is not used in modern medical diagnosis.
• Distinction from Cholera: It is crucial to distinguish this term from "cholera" (caused by the bacterium ). "Cholera morbus" was a non-specific diagnosis for severe gastroenteritis occurring in summer and autumn, often attributed to dietary causes.

Examples

• The 19th-century medical journal listed several deaths attributed to cholera morbus during the hot summer months.
• Historical records show that pioneers on the trail often suffered from cholera morbus due to poor sanitation and contaminated food.

Advanced Usage

• The term appears in historical documents, literature, and accounts of past epidemics to describe a specific, severe gastrointestinal syndrome before modern germ theory and diagnostic methods.

Variants and Related Words

• Cholera (n): An acute, infectious diarrheal disease caused by the bacterium .
• Gastroenteritis (n): Modern medical term for inflammation of the stomach and intestines, typically resulting from infection and causing vomiting and diarrhea.
• Dysentery (n): An inflammatory disorder of the intestine, especially of the colon, resulting in severe diarrhea with blood and mucus.

Synonyms

• Summer cholera (n, historical)
• Acute gastroenteritis (n, modern equivalent)
• Flux (n, archaic)

Notes on Related Terms

• Cholera Infantum: A related historical term for severe gastroenteritis and dehydration in infants and young children during summer.

Noun

1. severe gastroenteritis of unknown etiology; characterized by severe colic and vomiting and diarrhea