scrofula

scrofula
/skrof"yeuh leuh/, n. Pathol.
primary tuberculosis of the lymphatic glands, esp. those of the neck.
[1350-1400; ME (pl.) < LL scrofulae (L scrof(a) sow + -ulae (pl.) -ULE), from the belief that breeding sows were susceptible]

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      formerly tuberculosis, the terms “scrofulous,” “strumous,” and “tuberculous” being nearly interchangeable in the past, before the real nature of the disease was understood. The particular characteristics associated with scrofula have varied at different periods, but essentially what was meant was tuberculosis of the bones and lymphatic glands, especially in children. It is in this sense that the word survives. The old English popular name was “king's evil,” so called from the belief that the sovereign's touch could effect a cure. See also tuberculosis.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • scrofulă — SCRÓFULĂ, scrofule, s.f. Ganglion limfatic din regiunea cervicală, inghinală sau axilară atins de scrofuloză. ♦ (La pl.) Scrofuloză. – Din fr. scrofule, lat. scrofulae. Trimis de RACAI, 07.12.2003. Sursa: DEX 98  SCRÓFULĂ s. (med.) 1. (la pl.)… …   Dicționar Român

  • Scrofula — Scrof u*la, n. [L. scrofulae, fr. scrofa a breeding sow, because swine were supposed to be subject to such a complaint, or by a fanciful comparison of the glandular swellings to little pigs; perhaps akin to Gr. ? an old sow: cf. F. scrofules. Cf …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • scrofula — c.1400, scrophulas (pl.) from L.L. scrofulæ (pl.) swelling of the glands of the neck, lit. little pigs, from L. scrofa breeding sow. The connection may be because the glands associated with the disease resemble the body of a sow, or because pigs… …   Etymology dictionary

  • scrofula — v. scrofola …   Enciclopedia Italiana

  • scrofula — ► NOUN chiefly historical ▪ a disease with glandular swellings, probably a form of tuberculosis. DERIVATIVES scrofulous adjective. ORIGIN from Latin scrofa breeding sow (said to be subject to the disease) …   English terms dictionary

  • scrofula — [skräf′yə lə] n. [ML < L scrofulae, pl., swellings of the neck glands < dim. of scrofa, a sow: prob. from the swollen condition of the glands] tuberculosis of the lymphatic glands, esp. of the neck, characterized by the enlargement of the… …   English World dictionary

  • Scrofula — Infobox Disease Name = PAGENAME Caption = King Henry IV of France touching a number of sufferers of scrofula who are gathered about him in a circle. André de Laurens, 1609 DiseasesDB = 31259 ICD10 = ICD10|A|18|4|a|15 ICD9 = ICD9|017.2 ICDO = OMIM …   Wikipedia

  • scrofula — noun Etymology: New Latin, back formation from Late Latin scrofulae, plural, swellings of the lymph nodes of the neck, from plural of scrofula, diminutive of Latin scrofa breeding sow Date: 1791 tuberculosis of lymph nodes especially in the neck …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • scrofula — noun A form of tuberculosis, most common in children, spread by unpasteurized milk from affected cattle. it is manifested by chronic enlargement and cheesy degeneration of the lymph glands, particularly those of the neck, and marked by the… …   Wiktionary

  • scrofula — Historic term for cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis. [L. scrofulae (pl. only), a glandular swelling, s., fr. scrofa, a breeding sow] * * * scrof·u·la skrȯf yə lə, skräf n tuberculosis of lymph nodes esp. in the neck …   Medical dictionary

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