Daily AncestorHydrophobia
Hydrophobia, meaning fear of water, was the old name for rabies, a fatal infection usually from an animal bite.
Hydrophobia was the usual name for rabies in humans. Victims had painful throat spasms when trying to swallow, so they panicked at the sight of water, which gave the disease its name.
It almost always followed a bite from a rabid dog or wild animal, often weeks before. Once symptoms began, death was nearly certain in that era.
As seen in a recordCause of death column, 1850 to 1880 federal mortality schedule
Wm. Toll, 9, M, W, Mo., August, Hydrophobia (dog bite), 4 days
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Hydrophobia." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/causes-of-death/hydrophobia. Last checked 2026-10-01.