Daily AncestorCancrum oris
Cancrum oris, or water canker, was a fast-spreading gangrene of the mouth and cheek that struck weak, poorly fed children, often after measles.
The Latin means canker of the mouth. Today it is called noma: it begins as a sore on the gums and spreads into the cheek and jaw. Untreated, most patients died.
Noma follows malnutrition and illnesses such as measles. Webster's 1913 treats water canker, canker of the mouth and noma as one disease.
As seen in a recordCause of death column, 1850 to 1880 federal mortality schedule
Ellen Tighe, 4, F, W, Cancrum oris after measles
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Daily Ancestor. "Cancrum oris." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/causes-of-death/cancrum-oris. Last checked 2026-10-10.