Famine fever

Relapsing \Re*laps"ing\, a.
   Marked by a relapse; falling back; tending to return to a
   former worse state.
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   {Relapsing fever} (Med.), an acute, epidemic, contagious
      fever, which prevails also endemically in Ireland, Russia,
      and some other regions. It is marked by one or two
      remissions of the fever, by articular and muscular pains,
      and by the presence, during the paroxism of spiral
      bacterium ({Spirochaete}) in the blood. It is not usually
      fatal. Called also {famine fever}, and {recurring fever}.
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Typhus \Ty"phus\, n. [NL., fr. Gr. ? smoke, cloud, stupor
   arising from fever; akin to ? to smoke, Skr. dh?pa smoke.]
   (Med.)
   A contagious continued fever lasting from two to three weeks,
   attended with great prostration and cerebral disorder, and
   marked by a copious eruption of red spots upon the body. Also
   called {jail fever}, {famine fever}, {putrid fever},
   {spottled fever}, etc. See {Jail fever}, under {Jail}.
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Famine \Fam"ine\, n. [F. famine, fr. L. fames hunger; cf. Gr.
   ????? want, need, Skr. h[=a]ni loss, lack, h[=a] to leave.]
   General scarcity of food; dearth; a want of provisions;
   destitution. "Worn with famine." --Milton.
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         There was a famine in the land.          --Gen. xxvi.
                                                  1.
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   {Famine fever} (Med.), typhus fever.
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