The bloody flux was a name for dysentery in the 1700s and 1800s. It was a gastrointestinal disease that caused bloody diarrhea, stomach cramps, and fever. It was a leading cause of death for enslaved people on ships.
Symptoms
bloody or mucusy diarrhea, stomach cramps, pain, nausea, vomiting, and fever.
Causes
Caused by ingesting contaminated food or water
Caused by a parasitic micro-organism
Treatment
There were no antibiotics, so patients had to let the disease run its course
Many died from severe dehydration
Those who survived were left weak and susceptible to future infection
Impact
Outbreaks were a major contributor to psychological stress for everyone on a ship
Children can die of dehydration and exhaustion
Adults can succumb to cardiac arrest, exhaustion and perforation of the colon
Other names obstinate flux, violent flux, and shigella.