Daily AncestorAscites
Ascites meant dropsy of the belly: a buildup of fluid inside the abdomen that made it swell, often from liver, heart or other disease.
The name comes from Greek askos, a wineskin or bag, a picture of the swollen belly. Webster's 1913 defines it as a collection of fluid in the cavity of the abdomen, a form of dropsy.
Ascites was a symptom with many causes, including liver cirrhosis, heart failure, cancer and tuberculosis. The cause-of-death codes IPUMS used for the 1850 to 1880 mortality schedules put dropsy and ascites in one group.
As seen in a recordCause of death column, 1850 to 1880 federal mortality schedule
Wm. Toller, 54, M, W, Farmer, Ascites
Sources
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Ascites." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/causes-of-death/ascites. Last checked 2026-10-10.