Polyarthritis
Historical document, translated for reference. It reflects medical knowledge of the 1920s–30s and is not medical advice.
Summary
Polyarthritis is defined as multiple inflammatory joint lesions, representing the most common form of arthritis. The article discusses how even infections that appear to affect a single joint often involve multiple joints to some degree, and critiques the use of 'polyarthritis' as a term for acute rheumatism due to its inaccuracy.
Encyclopedia entry (1928–1936)
POLYARTHRITIS (from Greek polys - many and arthron - joint), multiple inflammatory lesions of the joints, represents the most common form of arthritis. Even in those infectious arthritises which clinically appear to often proceed with involvement of a single joint, e.g. in gonorrhea, in reality a series of joints is involved to a greater or lesser degree. - In a narrower sense, the term P. is conditionally used to denote acute rheumatism due to the typical multiple joint disease in it and its old name - polyarthritis rheumatica. - Such nomenclature must however be recognized as unsuccessful, due to its inaccuracy and inconsistency with the essence of the process.
Related articles
Mentioned in
Cite this page
“Polyarthritis.” Soviet Medical Encyclopedia. English translation of Bolshaya Meditsinskaya Entsiklopediya, 1st ed. (Moscow, 1928–1936), ed. N. A. Semashko. https://sovietmedicalencyclopedia.pages.dev/article/polyarthritis/