Daily AncestorFungus haematodes
Fungus haematodes was a 1800s name for a soft, spongy cancerous growth; the Census Bureau later counted it among the forms of cancer.
In medicine, Webster's 1913 defines a fungus as a spongy, morbid growth in the body, like the proud flesh of a wound. Doctors used fungus haematodes for such a growth that was malignant.
The 1911 Census Bureau manual lists fungus haematodes among the forms of cancer, in the same list as encephaloid cancer, so on an old record it means a malignant tumor whatever organ it grew in.
As seen in a recordCause of death column, 1850 to 1880 federal mortality schedule
Jas. Pettibone, 39, M, W, Feb., Fungus haematodes, 6 mos.
Sources
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Daily Ancestor. "Fungus haematodes." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/causes-of-death/fungus-haematodes. Last checked 2026-10-12.