Preface
Over time, research in genealogy has led me along many paths of discovery. A particular discovery has sent me on a jouney that has been exciting and enlightening and, very likely, never ending. I found a notation on my great-grandfather's Civil War pension application stating that his inability to work was due to being "salivated" during his time in service. Although I have a strong background in medical knowledge, I was unable to find a contextual understanding of "salivated" in current medical resources. By exploring old medical resources, I finally did learn the meaning of 'salivated.' That's when I came up with the idea for this book in which I could list other difficult and obscure medical terms relevant to the work of genealogists.

A Medical Miscellany for Genealogists
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Abdominal Dropsy
Also hydrops ascites. An abnormal collection of fluid in the abdominal cavity.