An abnormal accumulation of fluid in body tissues or cavities, causing swelling; now called edema by modern medicine.
From Greek 'hydropsia' (from 'hydro-' meaning 'water'). The term entered English through Middle French 'dropesie' and was the standard medical term for centuries.
Dropsy killed countless people throughout history because doctors didn't understand it—they could see the bloating but couldn't treat the underlying cause, whether it was heart failure, liver disease, or kidney failure, all of which cause different types of dropsy.
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