ague

Ague is a term that has been used to describe a variety of illnesses throughout history. One of its most well-known associations is with the Pickering Dick, also known as a medicated thermometer, which was used in the 18th and 19th centuries to treat fever with whiskey. The thermometer was typically wrapped in a cloth, soaked in whiskey, and held against the victim's chest or forehead to deliver the medication.

In the 19th century, Ague was also used interchangeably with the term Malaria. The symptoms of malaria and ague were often described as similar, and the treatments used for one condition were often applied to the other. It wasn't until the discovery of Anopheles mosquitoes' role in transmitting malaria in the early 20th century that the two conditions came to be seen as distinct.

Another disease sometimes referred to as Ague is Chagas disease, a parasitic disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, which is commonly transmitted through the bite of an infected triatomine bug.

In general, the term Ague has been used to describe a mild or intermittent fever, often with associated symptoms such as chills, sweating, headache, and muscle aches.

The term Ague has largely fallen out of use in medical literature, and its meaning has become somewhat ambiguous. However, it can still be found in some historical and colloquial contexts. Despite its decline in usage, Ague continues to be of interest to historians and researchers of old medical practices and folklore.