Miliary
Historical document, translated for reference. It reflects medical knowledge of the 1920s–30s and is not medical advice.
Summary
Miliary refers to a condition characterized by multiple small, millet-seed-sized pathological foci in various organs, commonly seen in miliary tuberculosis, pneumonia, cancer dissemination, and skin eruptions. These foci can grow larger through development and merging or by cell multiplication within the same focus.
Encyclopedia entry (1928–1936)
Miliary (from Latin milium-millet), millet-seed-sized, a term used to denote the size of pathological foci in different organs; almost always implying multiplicity of foci. Most often this refers to miliary tbc (for example, in the lungs, spleen, liver), M. pneumonia, M. dissemination of cancer (e.g., of the peritoneum), M. eruptions on the skin of various elements, etc. Miliary foci can grow into foci of larger size both through the development and merging of similar foci and through the multiplication of cells within the same focus. Miliary foci, imperceptible to the naked eye, are also called submiliary. The miliary nature of eruptions of various pathological foci - in most cases - is a sign of generalization of the corresponding process.
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“Miliary.” Soviet Medical Encyclopedia. English translation of Bolshaya Meditsinskaya Entsiklopediya, 1st ed. (Moscow, 1928–1936), ed. N. A. Semashko. https://sovietmedicalencyclopedia.pages.dev/article/miliary/