1883 Pensioners

Common Abbreviations and Terms
Used in Causes of Disability

The following is a compilation of common abbreviations used in the 1883 Pensioners enumeration. Several different abbreviations appear for the some word. Many of the diseases contracted by the soldiers were the result of infectious diseases, living conditions and consequences of war. Some of the entries have no indication of the cause of the disability. Further questions on abbreviations please contact

A ab. = abdomen/abdominal abd. = abdomen/abdominal abv. = above affec. = affected/affecting aff. = affected/affecting ampt. = amputation aptn. = amputation ampt’n = amputation anasarca = generalized edema of the body anch. = anchylosis/ankylosis (immobility of a joint) ank. = ankle aphonia = disease of vocal chords, absence or difficult speech atrop. = atrophy atrophy. = atrophy B bronch. = bronchitis but. = buttocks C c. = cough ch. = chronic chro. = chronic chr. = chronic conj’ct’n. = conjunctivitis consumption = tuberculosis D deaf. = deafness dep. = dependent depd. = dependent dept. = dependent diarr. = diarrea diarre. = diarrea dis. = dislocation or disease (most common) disl. = dislocation dis’l. = dislocation E erysip. = erysipalis (acute febrile disease, if untreated causes nephritis, or abcesses) F fev. = fever fin./fing. = finger(s) frac. = fracture fr, = from G g.s.w. = gun shot wound gen’l. = general granl. = granular grt. = great H ht. = heart hd. = head or hand, depending on context I inflam. = inflammation inj. = injury J jnt. = joint K kid. = kidney L l. = left lt. = left lft. = left ls. = loss lumbago = dull, aching pain in lower back M mal. = malaria/malarial malar. = malaria meas. = measles mid. = middle N nates = buttocks ner. = nervous nerv. = nervous neuralg. = neuralgia O opth’a = opthalmia (severe inflammation of the eye) osseous tumor = bone tumor or growth P pt. = partial paral. = paralysis part. = partial part’l. = partial phthisis pulmon = pulmonary tuberculosis prostra. = prostration pul. = pulmonary pulmon. = pulmonary pulm’y. = pulmonary Q R res. = result result. = resulting resul’g. = resulting res’t. = resulting r. = right rgt. = right rt. = right rheum. = rheumatism rheu. = rheumatism S s. = sabre or shot sci. = sciatica scorbutic = having to do with scurvy sh’r. = shoulder shlder. = shoulder spin. = spinal stom. = stomach surv. = survivor T typ. = thyphoid/typhoid thro. = through V vac. = vaccination var. = varicose varia. = varicose vis. = viscera visc. = viscera W w. = wound wd. = wound

By Donna Hoff Grambau 2001