Chloro'sis

Chloro'sis (Gr. chlōros, 'pale green'), a peculiar form of anaemia or bloodlessness, common in young women, and connected with the disorders incident to the critical period of life. It has been called the green sickness, from the peculiar dingy greenish-yellow hue of the complexion; the green colour, however, is not always present. The disease is attended with very great debility, and often with breathlessness, palpitation, and other distressing or even alarming symptoms. In a few cases it is associated with imperfect development of the larger arteries, and is then incurable; but in the vast majority of cases it yields readily to treatment unless complicated with some other disease. The principal means to be employed are air, exercise, often salt-water baths, with a nutritious and rather stimulating diet, and purgatives if required; together with such special remedies as are adapted for restoring deficient secretions, and bringing the entire female system of organs into a natural condition; but above all, large doses of iron, continued for some weeks or months. The tendency to chlorosis is often hereditary, and relapses are very apt to take place. For Chlorosis in plants, see PLANTS (DISEASES OF).