Definition

1. Noun:
   • A historical name for scrofula: "king's evil" is an archaic medical term for a specific form of tuberculosis, primarily characterized by chronic, non-painful swelling and infection of the lymph nodes in the neck. The name originates from the former belief that the disease could be cured by the touch of a reigning monarch.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

Advanced Usage

• Historical and Cultural Context: The term is almost exclusively used in historical, literary, or medical history contexts to refer to the past understanding and treatment of the disease now known as scrofula (tuberculous lymphadenitis).

Variants and Related Words

• Scrofula (n): The modern medical term for the condition historically called the king's evil.
• Tuberculous lymphadenitis (n): The precise clinical term for the infection.

Synonyms

• Scrofula: The direct synonym and modern equivalent term.
• Struma: An older, less common synonym for scrofula or goiter.

Related Phrases

• The Royal Touch: The ceremonial practice associated with the disease.

Noun

1. a form of tuberculosis characterized by swellings of the lymphatic glands