Antihectic

/æntiˈhɛktɪk/ adjective

Definition

Working against or reducing fever, especially the persistent fevers associated with chronic illnesses like tuberculosis.

Etymology

From anti- (against) + hectic (from Greek 'hektikos,' relating to a habitual or chronic fever). A medical term dating back centuries when hectic fevers were a major symptom of serious disease.

Kelly Says

Doctors in the 1800s used the term 'hectic flush'—the rosy cheeks of tuberculosis patients—and antihectic drugs were desperately sought until antibiotics finally defeated TB.

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