Daily AncestorLung trouble
Lung trouble on an old record was a vague phrase for some long illness of the lungs; it very often hid tuberculosis.
The 1911 Census Bureau manual names lung trouble as an indefinite return that spoiled the statistics, and next to it reminds doctors of tuberculosis of the lungs. Its list of undesirable terms also says vague words like decline frequently covered tuberculosis.
Treat lung trouble as a possible sign of tuberculosis, not proof of it.
As seen in a recordCause of death line, state death certificate, 1910s to 1930s
Cause: Lung trouble, 3 yrs.
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Daily Ancestor. "Lung trouble." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/causes-of-death/lung-trouble. Last checked 2026-10-12.