Daily AncestorThroat distemper
Throat distemper was the 1700s and 1800s name for deadly throat diseases, most often diphtheria, as in the New England epidemic of 1735.
Wiktionary explains that throat distemper was used from the 1600s to the 1800s for several deadly diseases whose worst symptoms were in the throat. Most was diphtheria, with scarlet fever and other strep throat also given the name.
In 1735 a diphtheria epidemic then known as throat distemper swept New England, and in one New Hampshire town 32 percent of children under 10 died.
As seen in a recordTown death record or church register, New England, 1730s to 1800s
Abigail Searle, 7, Throat distemper
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Throat distemper." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/causes-of-death/throat-distemper. Last checked 2026-10-10.