Indian fever

[Newfloridian]

Here's a term on an old death certificate that has got me beaten.

I have a man of 34 years, a veteran of the Indian and Afghan campaigns who was transferred to the Reserve list on his return home after 8 years. Fouor years later he was discharged from the Army after 12 years "medically unfit for further service" who died 3 months later of "Indian fever"

I have not come across this terms before and Google doesn't help either. Obviously the enteric diseases need to be considered but it does seem a long time for them to present as a chronic condition. I do have one other thought** but wondered if anyone else could throw some light on this issue. 

Alan

(** what do the Indians call the Portuguese disease? Mixed up with this man's Army records is another's by the same name which confirms that this condition was rife amongst the Armed Forces)

[Jebber]

Possibly Malaria, it remains in the system causing flare ups at a later date, so can cause death long after first contracted.

Jebber

[..claire..]

Have you read the article "1763 - The extraordinary disease at Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket " - from Google.

It's very long winded but the bottom paragraph from what I can make out refers to the "Indian Sickness" wonder if it's the same thing ?

[Rena]

I tend to think it's Malaria too.  My husband kept having bouts of it some 30 years after he actually contracted malaria.

Here's an extract from an advert for a cure for Indian Fever and I recognise the symptoms of shivering, fever, chill, etc. as that caused by Malaria :-

"INDIAN FEVER AND AGUE REMEDY, No. 1.

This Remedy is free from Quinine, and will effect a speedy cure in cases of
Fever and Ague, Chills, Fever, &c. Will remove the cause in the system,
so that when a person is cured, he will remain cured. Better adapted to
cases of long standing where the blood is low.

INDIAN FEVER AND AGUE REMEDY, No. 2.
This remedy has cured cases of Ague in forty-eight hours. Better ad-
apted to the complaint in the early stages."

[KGarrad]

Another possibility is Dengue?

But I think Malaria is more likely

[Newfloridian]

Yes, I have seen that. Another report concludes "These circumstances it is true may have disposed them to a morbid habit but do not account for its peculiarlty to the Indians; the English breathed the same air and suffered in some measure in the scarcity with the Indians yet they escaped the sickness"

Alan

[Newfloridian]

Out of interest, is the Indian Fever remedy in one of the trade directories?

Alan

[Rena]

Out of interest, is the Indian Fever remedy in one of the trade directories?

Alan

No, I didn't find mntion of Indian Fever in any trade directory.  I found mention of malaria and the possible causes in this book: "Ronald Ross: Malariologist and Polymath: A Biography"  (gulp - the link is 5 lines long!)  see link below:-

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01i9x/

Then I found that parts of America had similar malaria problems and a Dr. H.W.Libbey advertised his specialist clinic and remedies - one sub heading was "Indian Fever" 

https://archive.org/stream/1264032.nlm.nih.gov/1264032_djvu.txt