Cachexia

Cachexia (Gr. kakos, 'bad'; hexis, 'habit'), a term used in medicine of an obviously unhealthy condition of the body. It is chiefly used in regard to chronic diseases, where the general nutrition is defective, and the blood in an unhealthy state. Thus, Cancerous Cachexia indicates the peculiar impoverished state of the blood and general debility which are associated with the deposits of cancer in various parts of the body; Gouty Cachexia, the state of the general system in gout, as opposed to the mere local attack of gout in the foot. Lead Cachexia is used of the condition of general enfeeblement which sometimes results from the slow absorption of lead into the system; Mercurial Cachexia similarly in chronic poisoning by mercury. Cachexia Strumipriva is the name applied to the peculiar condition recently found to result from removal of the thyroid gland.