milk sickness

American  

[milk sik-nis] / ˈmɪlk ˌsɪk nɪs /

noun

Pathology.

1. 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 British  

noun

1. an acute disease characterized by weakness, vomiting, and constipation, caused by ingestion of the flesh or dairy products of cattle affected with trembles

2. vet science another name for trembles

---

Etymology

Origin of milk sickness

An Americanism first recorded in 1815–25

Example Sentences

Hence, if milk sickness was of atmospheric or even epidemic origin, it would prevail in adjoining states.

From The American Reformed Cattle Doctor by Dadd, George

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

From The American Reformed Cattle Doctor by Dadd, George

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.

From In The Boyhood of Lincoln A Tale of the Tunker Schoolmaster and the Times of Black Hawk by Butterworth, Hezekiah

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

From Boys' and Girls' Biography of Abraham Lincoln by Shaw, James H.

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

From Special Report on Diseases of Cattle by United States. Bureau of Animal Industry