Pirate Diseases Top Ten List

[Matusalem]

Piracy wouldn't be fun without the scourge of disease on bord ships and making contact with distant people. I give you the preliminary top ten that only a commited non-farb reenactor would wear with a badge of honor today!

10. Ague (....malarial fever)

9. Bronze John or Yellowjacket (...yellow fever)

8. Sprue (...tropical disease characterized by intestinal disorders and sore throat)

7. Worm Fit (...Convulsions associated with teething, worms, elevated temperature or diarrhea)

6. Mania (...insanity, no less)

5. Dry Belly Ache (...Lead poisoning)

4. Lockjaw (...fatal after 8 days)

3. King's Evil (...tuberculosis neck& lymph glands)

2. Scurvy (...lack of vitamin C) & Morphew (subset of scurvy)

...and my all-time favorite:

1. Delirium Tremens (...hallucinations due to alcohol)

..and there are countless others ( Sloes, Screws, Cachexy, Viper's Dance,etc....)

[Rogue Mermaid]

Piracy wouldn't be fun without the scourge of disease on bord ships and making contact with distant people. I give you the preliminary top ten that only a commited non-farb reenactor would wear with a badge of honor today!

10. Ague (....malarial fever)

9. Bronze John or Yellowjacket (...yellow fever)

8. Sprue (...tropical disease characterized by intestinal disorders and sore throat)

7. Worm Fit (...Convulsions associated with teething, worms, elevated temperature or diarrhea)

6. Mania (...insanity, no less)

5. Dry Belly Ache (...Lead poisoning)

4. Lockjaw (...fatal after 8 days)

3. King's Evil (...tuberculosis neck& lymph glands)

2. Scurvy (...lack of vitamin C) & Morphew (subset of scurvy)

...and my all-time favorite:

1. Delirium Tremens (...hallucinations due to alcohol)

..and there are countless others ( Sloes, Screws, Cachexy, Viper's Dance,etc....)

Hey you forgot arrrrrrthritis.

Sorry, couldn't help myself

[Matusalem]

Rogue Mermaid wrote

Hey you forgot arrrrrrthritis

No, That was below, on the addendum to the Top Ten as "Screws" (also known as rheumatism)

However, in keeping in line with your sense of humor, here's a clip of a Saturday Night Live sketch from a while back:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWnxsVcNL2w

[blackjohn]

There's a famous (well, at least to this researcher) tabulation of causes of death, in London, for the year 1700. Some clever fellows have transcribed it here, complete with links to the some of the more obscure terms.

[Rabbitz]

Given the day to day life at sea I would that Boredom would also qualify as a disease!!

Rabz

[Jib]

How about VD mates?

Of course a little quick silver will cure you just fine...

[Capn_Enigma]

How about VD mates?

Is that not also meant with "screws"?