Below are common diseases found on death records.
Apoplexy - Paralysis due to stroke
Brain Fever - Meningitis
Bright's Disease - Chronic inflammatory disease of kidneys
Child bed fever - Infection following birth of a child
Cholera - Acute severe contagious diarrhea with intestinal lining sloughing
Cholera morbus - Characterized by nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, elevated temperature, etc. Could be appendicitis.
Congestive chills/ fever - Malaria
Consumption - Tuberculosis
Decrepitude - Feebleness due to old age
Dropsy - Edema (swelling), often caused by kidney or heart disease
Dropsy of the Brain - Encephalitis
Dysentery - Inflammation of colon with frequent passage of mucous and blood
Encephalitis - Swelling of brain; aka sleeping sickness
Falling sickness - Epilepsy
Flux - An excessive flow or discharge of fluid like hemorrhage or diarrhea
Grippe/grip - Influenza like symptoms
Jaundice - Condition caused by blockage of intestines
Lagrippe - Influenza
Lockjaw - Tetanus or infectious disease affecting the muscles of the neck and jaw. Untreated, it is fatal in 8 days
Lung fever - Pneumonia
Lung sickness - Tuberculosis
Meningitis - Inflation of brain or spinal cord
Nephrosis - Kidney degeneration
Nepritis - Inflammation of kidneys
Quinsy - Abscess behind tonsils
Small pox - Contagious disease with fever and blisters
Summer complaint - Diarrhea, usually in infants caused by spoiled milk
Tetanus - Infectious fever characterized by high fever, headache and dizziness
Trench mouth - apathos ulcers or a virus disease
Thrush - Childhood disease characterized by spots on mouth, lips and throat
Tuberculosis - Bacterial infection that primarily attacks the lungs, but which may also affect the kidneys, bones, lymph nodes, and brain. Symptoms of TB include coughing, chest pain, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, weight loss, fever, chills, and fatigue.
Typhus - Infectious fever characterized by high fever, headache, and dizziness
Winter fever - Pneumonia
If you have questions, contributions, or problems with this site, email:
Coordinator - Rebecca Maloney
State Coordinator: Marsha Holley
Asst. State Coordinators: Available
If you have questions or problems with this site, email the Parish Coordinator. Please to not ask for specfic research on your family. I am unable to do your personal research. I do not live in Louisiana and do not have access to additional records.
