Daily AncestorPernicious anemia
Pernicious anemia was a slowly deadly anemia, first clearly described in 1849, now known to come from vitamin B12 deficiency; the name means deadly.
Thomas Addison gave the first clear description in 1849. The word pernicious means deadly, and it stuck because the disease was often fatal before treatment existed.
IPUMS codes anemia and chlorosis together in its scheme for the 1850 to 1880 mortality schedules. On early 1900s death certificates pernicious anemia names a specific disease rather than simple weakness or pallor.
As seen in a recordCause of death line, state death certificate, 1910s to 1930s
Amos Kuhl, 58, M, W, Pernicious anemia
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Daily Ancestor. "Pernicious anemia." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/causes-of-death/pernicious-anemia. Last checked 2026-10-10.