Diseases of Yore

I took a road trip to Montreal once with some friends. It was winter and there was a blizzard so some of us packed blankets just in case. One of them was extremely old and musty. We thought it looked like it had been in someones family for generations and had probably kept someone warm as they succumbed to consumption. We called it the consumption blanket.

Why did diseases have suck stupid names in the old days? If my doctor told me I had consumption, dropsy or yellow john, I'd ask for a second opinion before he prescribed a blood letting.

Anyhow, we sat under the consumption blanket and snacked on coctail weiners. We arrived in Montreal safe and sound and no one cought any strange disease from the blanket.