Chlorosis
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
Meaning 'in a state of greenness'.
An interesting and probably nonexistent disease of young urban females, common in the- oh, whenever it was that they wore corsets. In a typically Victorian (or something) paradox, it was called 'the virgin's disease' and yet blamed upon the sexual excesses of youth. According to popular rumour, the patients turned green. Sadly, this was not true. What did happen was that they experienced symptoms similar to anorexia nervosa, (then commonly termed 'hysteria') and had curious compulsions to trough things like worms, clay, dust and muck. It is now extinct, and we're still not sure if it was a disease in itself or merely a misunderstood eating disorder.
Shame. I have developed quite an affection for it.
An interesting and probably nonexistent disease of young urban females, common in the- oh, whenever it was that they wore corsets. In a typically Victorian (or something) paradox, it was called 'the virgin's disease' and yet blamed upon the sexual excesses of youth. According to popular rumour, the patients turned green. Sadly, this was not true. What did happen was that they experienced symptoms similar to anorexia nervosa, (then commonly termed 'hysteria') and had curious compulsions to trough things like worms, clay, dust and muck. It is now extinct, and we're still not sure if it was a disease in itself or merely a misunderstood eating disorder.
Shame. I have developed quite an affection for it.
