Daily AncestorMembranous croup
Membranous croup meant croup in which a tough membrane formed in the throat or windpipe, in most cases what we now call diphtheria.
Membranous croup was croup with a grayish skin-like membrane lining the throat or windpipe, which could choke a child. Doctors of the 1800s argued about whether it differed from diphtheria.
Most such cases are now understood as diphtheria. British notification laws of 1889 still listed membranous croup next to diphtheria, which shows how long the two names were used side by side.
As seen in a recordCause of death line on an early 1900s death certificate
Cause of death: Membranous croup. Duration: 4 days.
Sources
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Daily Ancestor. "Membranous croup." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/causes-of-death/membranous-croup. Last checked 2026-10-01.