MILK SICKNESS Definition & Meaning

milk sickness

[ milk sik-nis ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

Pathology.

a disease of humans, formerly common in some parts of the Midwestern and Southern United States, caused by consuming milk from cattle that have been poisoned by eating certain kinds of snakeroot.

milk sickness

an acute disease characterized by weakness, vomiting, and constipation, caused by ingestion of the flesh or dairy products of cattle affected with trembles
vet science another name for trembles

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An Americanism first recorded in 1815–25

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Examples have not been reviewed.

The legislatures of several of the Western States have offered rewards for the discovery of the origin of the milk sickness.

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In addition, the milk sickness was a sort of an epidemic disease in those parts.

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It is responsible for most, if not all, of the cases of a disease which is commonly known as "milk sickness."

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The milk sickness is a disease of a singular character, which prevails in certain places.

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The milk sickness has been here again and has carried off the cattle, and the people have become discouraged, and look upon the place as unhealthy.

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