Slow Fever

[tracey351]

I have the death certificate of a child who died in England in 1841 and the cause of death is recorded as Slow Fever. Does anyone know what this is?

[judypark]

It's a mild form of typhus febris lenta.

[tracey351]

Thank you, Judy

[Octavius]

Until a comparatively recent period typhoid was not distinguished from typhus, so the suggested causa mortis was put down as Slow Fever. Antiquus morbus, tells us that slow fever was in fact, Typhoid.