A suppurative (pus-forming) inflammation of a gland with surrounding tissue involvement, typically forming an abscess.
From Greek 'aden' (gland) + 'phlegmon' (inflammation, burning heat). The term 'phlegmon' comes from 'phlegein' (to burn), reflecting ancient medicine's belief that inflammation involved heat.
Medieval doctors thought inflammation was literally heat and 'burning' in the tissues—that's why we still call severe infections 'phlegmons'—it's a 2,000-year-old description that stuck around because the redness and warmth of infected glands really does resemble fire.
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