Milk sickness Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun disease of livestock and especially cattle poisoned by eating certain kinds of snakeroot
trembles.
noun caused by consuming milk from cattle suffering from trembles

(Med.), a peculiar malignant disease, occurring in some parts of the Western United States, and affecting certain kinds of farm stock (esp. cows), and persons who make use of the meat or dairy products of infected cattle. Its chief symptoms in man are uncontrollable vomiting, obstinate constipation, pain, and muscular tremors. Its origin in cattle has been variously ascribed to the presence of certain plants in their food, and to polluted drinking water.