Source: A Folk Medical Lexicon of South Central Appalachia, 1990; with permission from the History of Medicine Society of Appalachia, Medical Library, PO Box 23290A, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN 37614.
A
acting up – the manifestation of symptoms of any physical disorder: “My arthritis has been acting up lately.”
air hungry – difficulty with breathing
all to pieces – an expression used to describe an acute state of anxiety
(to) allow – to say; “What did the doctor allow about the pain in my chest?”
angry (sore) – a sore that is infected and sensitive to the touch; “I’ve got an angry sore on my arm.”
asafetida – [commonly pronounced “fidity”] used in the phrase “fidity gum”; a gum resin derived from the roots of plants from the Near East worn in a pouch around the neck to ward off illness.
B
baby dropsy – death in babies caused by swollen heart due to Rh incompatibility
baby in the oven – pregnancy
back door trots – diarrhea
back of this – a phrase meaning “before this”; “Back of this, I had headaches and vomited a lot.”
bad blood – a. used in reference to contemptible behavioral traits believed to be inherited from one generation to the next: “I wouldn’t trust him because his family’s got bad blood.”; b. syphilis; c. poor social relationsbetween people; “There’s been bad blood between them for years.”bag of waters
beal – placenta with amniotic fluid; to become infected, to fester, and feels awful.” Also used as a noun. There is a bealing on my back.” Usually indicates an otitis condition
beggar’s itch – a. scabies; b. a lice condition
big eye – insomnia, sometimes used in the expression “took the big eye”; I don’t feel well today because I had the big eye last night.”
bigged – pregnant; also used as a verb; “He bigged her.”
(the) binds – constipation; “She’s got a bad case of the binds.”
birth palsy – a birth injury causing paralysis
black liver – hepatitis
bleeding disease or bleeder’s disease – hemophilia
blind staggers – a. a feeling of dizziness or lightheadedness; b. inability to walk due to intoxication
blood blister – a. a trauma to the skin causing blood formation between the dermis and epidermis; b. a hemangioma
blood wart – a. superficial telangiectasia or hemangioma; b. hemorrhoid
bloody flux – a. bleeding from the rectum; b. menstruation; See flux.
bloody tide – extreme menstrual flow
blossoming out – a. the symptoms of an illness manifesting or becoming worse; See also flare.; b. attaining puberty; See budding out.
blues – mental depression
bluing the face and hands – turning blue
bold hives – particularly large wheals or blisters on the skin
bone tired – severe exhaustion from physical labor
bounded gut – a. constipation; b. impaction of the bowels; c. obstruction of the bowels
brain fever – encephalitis or meningitis
breaking out – the manifestation of a skin rash; also used as a noun to refer to a rash
brown headache – headache associated with constipation
budding out – attaining sexual maturity; See blossoming out
bug – flu; “He’s been down with the bug for two days.”
bugs – scabies
bumfuddled – confused mental state; also used as “bumfuzzled”
burning up – having a fever
bushed up – nervous
C
(the) “C’ – cancer; “We may lose him to the big C.”
can’t help its – a. menstruation; b. lethargy c. mental depression
canker ear – itchiness of the ear canal
catarrh – inflammation of the mucous membrane; used in reference to allergy or URI symptoms or sinus drainage
catch – sharp muscle pain in the neck, back, or knee associated with limited movement: “I’ve got a catch in my neck.” See crick.
(to) catch – to deliver a child; “She caught every baby in this community.”
caul – [pronounced “cowl”] amniotic sac; see onion skin and veil.
(the) changes – a. menopause; b. mental depression; “Since he’s had the changes nobody can talk to him.”; c. menstruation
chested – chest congestion
child bedfever – fever from postpartum infection
clap – venereal disease; sometimes referred to as “the collapse”
(the) clutches – a. any abdominal cramping; b. menstrual cramps
colic – a. indigestion and/or abdominal pain in babies; includes six-month and nine-month colic; commonly used in phrase “colicky baby.”; b. in adults any severe, intermittent abdominal pain; two varieties include “gall bladder colic” and “kidney colic.”
consumption – a. tuberculosis of the lungs, see galloping consumption; b. a rapid, progressive pneumonic condition
cooties – lice or germs
corded – tightness and stiffness of the muscles
corruption – a. pus from an infected sore; b. phlegm, especially that containing blood resulting from a chronic lung problem; used in the phrase “bloody corruption.”
courage – (male specific) sexual drive, impotency: “Doc, I’ve lost my courage.”
course or courses – menstruation
crabs – body lice; used most frequently in reference to pubic lice
cradle cap – seborrheic dermatitis of the newborn, infant, or small child
cramp colic – a. menstruation; b. painful contraction of the intestine
creel – to sprain: “He creeled his ankle when he slipped off the porch”; variant form “creen” also used.
crick – sharp muscle pain in the neck; See catch.
cross over – to die; “When did your brother cross over?”
crud – a sickness characterized by symptoms of feeling tired, dull, and achy; often used in reference to the flu; commonly used as “the crud:” “He’s down with the crud and can’t go to work/” also used as an ajective: “I’ve been feeling cruddy lately.” Also described as the “creeping crud,” meaningthe onset of the symptoms of the crud, and the “galloping crud,” meaning the symptoms are fully manifested.
(the) curse – menstruation
D
deathly sick – a. a severe case of nausea, fever, and weakness; commonly used to express a feeling of wanting to die in reaction to a debilitating condition; b. a death threatening illness; See low sick.
deep study – a. a mood of intense concentration or contemplation; b. a depressed mental condition. c. a vacuous state of mind characterized by staring off into space.
dew poisoning – a. sores on the soles of the feet caused through contact with dew; b. a rash on the ankles or hands resulting from contact with dew; See frost poisoning.
(to) doctor – to treat medically, especially through the administration of home remedies.
don’t care – an expression that means “Yes, I would like to.”
double pneumonia – a. both lungs, not just one, are inflammed and congested; b. severe pneumonia.
down and out – a. extreme fatigue; b. mental depression.
down in my back – backache, usually severe.
down in the dumps – mental depression.
down there – genitals.
down with it – contraction of an illness, such as a flu, that is incapacitating: “He’s been down with it two weeks.”
draggy – sluggish, languid; also used as “the drags.”
draw out – a. to induce an illness, such as a cold or fever; b. to treat a boil or other lesion by application of medicinal substances; also described as “bringing to a head.”
drawed up – a. contraction of the arms, legs, hands due to cramping or injury; b. illness associated with extreme weight loss; See drawing spell.
drawing spell – a. contraction of the arms and legs due to excruciating pain. See drawed up; b. inability to take in a deep breath; c. hyperventilation.
drinlin – a. weak, ailing; b. weak constitution associated with loss of appetite and extreme loss of weight; see wasting away.
(the) drip – gonorrhea
drizzlins – diarrhea
dropsy – heart trouble, heart failure, generalized edema associated with heart problems; often used in the phrase “heart dropsy.”
dwindlin’ away – losing weight
dyspepsy – [derivative of dyspepsia] indigestion
F
fagged out – extremely fatigued
fair to midlin – used in reference to a normal state of physical and mental well-being; See midlin.
fall sores – a. rash that forms on the legs and/or feet and hands during the fall, particularly during “dog days” (i.e., late summer to early fall); a child specific pathology; b. impetigo
fallen off – weight loss: “She’s fallen off quite a bit since she became sick.”
fallen womb – a prolapsed uterus; See laxed privates
falling off the roof – menstruation
filling out – a. gaining weight; b. reaching a state of physical maturity
fish skin – scaly, dry skin common to the elderly
fits – a. seizures; used as “the fits”; b. temper tantrum
flare – the symptoms of an illness manifesting suddenly or becoming worse; frequently used with the preposition “up”: “My headache flared up again last night.”
fleshy – a. corpulent, fat; also used to describe gaining weight as in the phrase “getting fleshy” or “fleshing up.”; b. a sore becoming swollen from infection: “That sore of yours is getting fleshy.”
flooding – extreme menstrual flow
flounder – [sometimes pronounced “founder”] bloated, stuffed feeling
flower – [sometimes pronounced “flare”] a. the symptoms of an illness manifesting; “My arthritis flowered up last week.”; b. hymen
flux – diarrhea; See bloody flux.
frazzle – extreme fatigue, commonly used in the phrase “worn to a frazzle”; also used as a verb as in “I’m frazzled from painting the house.”
French curse – syphilis
fretful – used to describe an anxious, stressful mental state; “He’s feeling fretful about losing his job.” Commonly used in reference to babies that cry excessively.
frost poisoning – sores on the soles of the feet resulting from contact with frost. See dew poisoning.
G
galloping consumption – a. tuberculosis complicated by pneumonia; b. tuberculosis characterized by rapid, progressive symptoms
gant up – to gain weight; “He’s ganted up some since he got out of the hospital.”
gasey – flatulence and/or bloated feeling
gaulded – a heat rash, particularly in the groin area; “My leg is gaulded so bad I can hardly walk.” Rash area sometimes referred to as “scalded skin.”
gism – [pronounced “jism”] semen; (not well known or used in the region).
give out – severely fatigued, usually from physical exertion.
glands – prostate glands; lymph nodes
gleet – a. chronic gonorrhea. b. urethral discharge.
glut – derivative of “glutton”,” to eat to excess; I glut today.”
goozle – the throat or Adam’s apple
grand itch – scabies
granny cramps – menstrual period
granny woman – midwife and/or herb doctor; sometimes referred to as “granny midwife”
gravel – gall or kidney stones
green apple – a. diarrhea; sometimes used in the phrase “green apple trots”; b. abdominal pain; sometimes used in the phrase “green apple bellyache”
(to) green up – to impregnate or become pregnant, possibly specific to African -American
grippe – a. an upper respiratory infection; b. an illness exhibiting the symptoms of flu.
gripping stomach – a. hunger pains; b. queasy stomach
growth – tumor; commonly used in reference to cancer
gum boil – abscess on gums
H
hair cut – a. canker on the genitals; b. a laceration of the penis caused by a pubic hair
ham strung – extremely sore thigh or calf muscles
hard measles – rubella
hark – [phonetical variant of “hawk”; also pronounced as “hock” and “hack”] to cough up phlegm: “He harked up a lot of phlegm.” See hocker.
heebie jeebies – nervous condition; also “the jeebies.”
herb doctor – [“herb” sometimes pronounced “yarb”] a folk healer knowledgeable in the use of medicinal plants
high blood – a. high blood pressure; b. an excessive quantity of blood in the body; c. high blood sugar; d. high blood count.
hippoed – a feeling of ill health or extreme fatigue; “I feel plumb hippoed.”
hocker – a wad of phlegm
hunkers – a. haunches: “My hunkers are sore.”; b. used as verb “to hunker” meaning “to squat”; “He’s hunkering by the fire.”
I
in a delicate condition – pregnant
in a family way – pregnant
in the mother way – pregnant
(the) itch – scabies; See grand itch.
J
jack bumps – acne
jake leg – a disabled walk characterized by a loping gait where the feet fall hard or “slap” the ground; condition common in the 1920s and 1930s caused by drinking Jamaica Ginger, a ginger extract containing propylene glycol.
(the) jitters – nervous mental state
job – [phonetical variant of the verb ” jab”] used to refer to a sharp, stabbing pain; “The pain in my neck jobbed me all day.
johnny trots – diarrhea
K
kernels – swollen lymph nodes under the arms, on the neck or groin
kidney trouble – often refers to any pain in the middle or lower back
knock up – to impregnate; “She was knocked up by that boy from town.”
knot – can refer to a tumor, lump, or tightened muscle
L
laxed privates – a prolapsed uterus; See fallen womb.
leaders – a. tendons or ligaments, most frequently used in reference to the ligaments in the neck and ankle; b. veins in the leg; the phrase “bad leaders” commonly used in reference to varicose veins
lightheaded – dizzy
lights – lungs
liver grown [also known as “liver bound”] – a. a physical disorder in an infant whose liver becomes attached to the spinal cord due to remaining flat on the back too long in the crib; disorder prevented by using the “liver shakes”, a process involving holding the infant by its feet and shaking it up and down; b. an infant or child with colic; c. an infant whose body is sensitive to the touch due to being handled too much
liver shakes – See liver grown
locked bowels – a. impaction of the bowels; b. intestinal obstruction
loss of manhood – impotency
low blood – a. low blood pressure; b. an anemic condition; c. an abnormally low quantity of blood; d. low blood count.
low sick feeling – very ill and near death; See deathly sick
lumbago – lower back pain
lung hemorrhage – the expectoration of blood or bloody mucus
M
maidenhead – hymen
make water – to urinate; See pass water
marking – a birthmark, physical characteristic or behavior trait caused during pregnancy by the mother having a frightening/ unfortunate experience or violating a taboo
(the) melancholy – a depressed mental state
midlin – not feeling well, but not feeling very sick; See fair to midlin.
milk fever – a. sore breasts during lactation; b. engorgement of the breasts; c. mastitis
milk leg – a. phlebitis acquired by women shortly after birth; b. an infection in the veins of the legs; c. weakening of the arms and legs
(the) miseries – a. menstrual period; b. a tired, aching feeling
(a) misery – a pain
mullygrubs – [sometimes pronounced as “mollygrubs”] a. hunger pains or growling sounds made by the stomach when hungry; b. feeling languid.
N
nature – a. sexual drive, libido; b. excretory function; c. personality
nerves – an anxious, nervous mental state; commonly ‘Used in phrases “a case of the nerves” or “bad nerves.”
nervous breakdown – severe nervous state characterized by inability to perform day-to-day functions; usually prolonged illness requiring immediate professional medical attention
nervous wreck – an anxious mental state, usually temporary
nettle – rash a heat rash on the neck and under the arms; sometimes referred to as “netty rash” or “heat in the skin folds”
no blood – a. anemia; b. easily chilled or cold natured constitution
not all together – confused mental state
O
old Arthur – arthritis
old Joe – gonorrhea
old timer’s disease – Alzheimer’s disease
onion skin – amniotic sac. See veil and caul.
out of heart – low in spirit or deep mental depression: “I’ve been out of heart ever since my mother died.”
P
pass water – to urinate; See make water
peaked [pronounced “peekid”] – a. having a pale appearance indicating poor health; b. feeling languid
period – menstruation
pert [often pronounced as “peart”] feeling lively, full of energy; commonly used to describe someone who looks very healthy
phthisic [sometimes pronounced “tizzy”] – a. congested lungs, wheezy breathing; b. asthma
pieded – skin or wound having a variegated, blotchy appearance; “My leg swelled up and got pieded.”
piles – hemorrhoids
pinched nerve – commonly used in reference to a ruptured disc
pindling – ailing and weak; child specific; “That boy was born pindling.”
pink eye – conjunctivitis
pip – menstruation
piss hard – a morning erection
pitching and staving – dizziness, vertigo
(the) plague – menstruation
pocketbook – vagina
pone – a painful lump on the body; “I’ve got a pone on my leg from when I accidentally hit myself with a hammer.” Also used in the phrase “poned out” in reference to a swollen part of the body.
pooch – hernia; bulge out
poorly – having an unhealthy appearance or feeling ill; “She’s been looking poorly for two days.”
possible – the genitalia or perineum
pourin’ the blood – hemorrhage; commonly refers to a nosebleed
privates – genitalia
proudflesh – granulation tissue
pump knot – a swelling produced by a blow to the body or sting from an insect; “I got this pump knot on my head from where he hit me.”
puny – a. having a sickly appearance; “You’re looking puny today.”; b. sluggish, languid feeling: “I’ve been feeling kind of puny lately.”
putting on – a. gaining weight: “I’ve been putting on a lot (of weight) lately.”; b. misbehaving; c. feigning illness
Q
queasy – nausea or upset stomach
queer [sometimes pronounced “quar”] – the sensation of an odd or strange physical feeling before the onset of an illness: “I felt a little queer yesterday and today I’m down with it.”
quickie – a sore area on the body that has a normal appearance but is sensitive to the touch
quinsey – inflammation of the tonsils and throat
R
red measles – rubella
red mouth – thrush
rheumatism – a generic term used in reference to any disorder involving inflammation and pain of the muscles or joints, including arthritis and bursitis
right smart of – an expression that refers to a significant amount of something, such as pain or bleeding
rigors [sometimes pronounced “rygors”] – a chill accompanied by mild trembling; commonly used as “the rigors.”
risin’ – a boil
rose fever – a. allergy, b. hay fever
rosies – roseola
running off –diarrhea; also “the runs”
rupture – hernia
S
sack lice – lice in the pubic area
scours – [commonly pronounced “scares”] diarrhea
seed(s) – a. semen; b. testicles; “The pain goes down to my seeds.”
seeing – roses menstruation
seven year itch – a. a fungus that starts between the fingers and spreads over the hands.; b. a prolonged rash that is difficult to cure
shaking palsy – Parkinson’s disease
(the) shivers – chills
shooting blanks – infertility
side pleurisy – a. inflammation of the pleura accompanied by pain when breathing; b. appendicitis
sinking spell – a. fainting b. loss of energy or feeling tired
smokies – menopause
smothering – difficulty with breathing
sore eyes – conjunctivitis
spell – an episode of some symptom or illness; “He had a real bad coughing spell last night.”
spindly – [variant -form “spindlin”] thin, weak, frail appearance
sprangle – to spread or diffuse: “The pain sprangled out over my whole back.”
(the) squirts – diarrhea
St. Vitus’ Dance – chorea; jerky, uncontrollable movements of arms and legs
stale – impotence or diminished sexual drive
still – deceased; “He’s been still for five years.”
stomach sore – a. stomach ulcer; b. ulcer on the mouth associated with vomiting and fever
stone bruise – an abscessed sore on the heel of the foot caused by a severe bruise; common to children who go without shoes in the summer.
stout – a. healthy; b. strong constitution; c. obese
stove – a. to jam or stub a finger or toe; b. used with the preposition “up” in reference to bedridden condition; “He’s been stoved up for two days.”
strain – a. gonorrhea; used as “the strain”; “He’s taking medicine for the strain.”; b. hernia; c. pulled muscle
stretch – hives rash
stretched out – a. a nervous, anxious state; “She’s all stretched out about having to go back to the doctor.”; b. bedridden
strutted – filled to capacity, swollen to maximum extent; “He dropped a heavy box on his foot yesterday and now it’s strutted.” Also used as a noun as in “my foot swelled into a strut.”
stubborn – commonly used in reference to constipation: “My bowels have been stubborn lately, nurse.” Also used in reference to a sore or wound that is slow to heal, or to a particularly bad infection.
sugar – a diabetic condition; “My sugar has been acting up lately.”
sugar tit – a pacifier for babies made of a piece of soft, absorbent cloth soaked in a solution of sugar and whiskey
swimmy headed – dizzy
T
tacked up – a surgical procedure for repair of a prolapsed uterus
teder – a scaly, red skin rash
thick blood – viscous blood; often associated with a predisposition for stroke and heart attack
thin blood – watery blood often lacking in essential properties; sometimes associated with profuse bleeding and having an unusually cold nature.
thrash – [variant of “thrush”] inflammation of the mouth in children
tired blood – a condition of fatigue or having no energy
tizzy – a. confused mental state; b. a nervous, anxious mental state; “He’s in a tizzy about losing his job.”; c. a state of intense anger
toe itch – athlete’s foot
tolerable – a condition of feeling normal
took down (sick) – to be bedridden by sickness; “He was took down last week.”
touched [sometimes pronounced “tetched”] – commonly used in the phrase “touched in the head” to indicate being mentally off balance, feebleminded, or insane
touchous [sometimes pronounced “tetchous”] – a. painfully sensitive to movement or touch; “This toe is so touchous I can hardly walk.”; b. an irritable disposition; “She gets touchous when you talk about politics.”
(the) trots – diarrhea
V
vapors – a. fainting spells. b. mental depression
veil – amniotic sac; See onion skin and caul.
W
walking pneumonia – a. viral pneumonia; b. pneumonia that is not severely debilitating
wasting away – degeneration due to a prolonged, debilitating illness often associated with extreme loss of weigh; “He’s wasting away to nothing.”
weak trembles – a feeling of general weakness associated with mild trembles of the body
weed – an abscess in the breast acquired during breastfeeding that causes the breast to become hard and sore
whipped out – tired, fatigued
white eye – severe exhaustion; “He’s white eye from working in the fields.” See wide eye.
white liver – an insatiable sexual drive
white mouth – thrush
whites – vaginal discharge
wide eye – a. severe exhaustion; b. insomnia; See white eye.
wind tumor – hernia in the groin area near the small bowel
winter itch – dry, scaly skin that occurs during the winter
woozy – dizzy
wretching – vomiting
Y
yellow eye – hepatitis