Dropsy

An old medical term for an excess of watery fluid in any tissue or space of the body.

Dropsy, mentioned in Luke 14:2, is a symptom of serious disorders, like heart, kidney, or liver disease. Jesus healed a man "who had dropsy," but his illness is not described. The word "dropsy" is now outdated. It has been replaced with more specific medical terms:

Dropsy in the stomach is now called ascites

Dropsy in or below the skin is called edema

Dropsy in the lungs is now called hydrothorax

Dropsy is not mentioned directly in the Old Testament. A reference to swollen feet (Deuteronomy 8:4) could refer to pedal edema or simply to blisters.

See also Medicine and Medical Practice.