CALENTURES Meaning and
Definition
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Calentures refers to a rare psychological disorder that primarily affects sailors on long sea voyages. This term is derived from the Latin word "calentura," which means fever. The condition is characterized by a state of delirium or frenzy, often accompanied by severe hallucinations and a distorted perception of reality. Calentures typically occur when sailors spend prolonged periods isolated at sea, often in tropical or equatorial regions.
The main symptom of calentures is an intense and irrational desire to jump off the ship into the surrounding water. This compulsion arises due to the hallucinated belief that the ocean is actually a lush meadow, filled with greenery or flowers, enticing the affected individual to abandon the ship and embrace the perceived land. The delirium experienced during calentures is often associated with high fever, weakened physical state, and dehydration, which further exacerbate the condition.
Historically, many sailors suffering from calentures have tragically succumbed to their affliction by jumping overboard. Those who managed to survive their delusions were often restrained or tethered to prevent them from acting on their compulsive urges.
Nowadays, with improvements in medical understanding and treatment, calentures are much better recognized and controlled. It is considered a psychological disorder that may be related to isolation, the harsh conditions at sea, and the stressful nature of long voyages. Treatment for calentures usually involves psychological therapy and medication to manage the delusions, psychological distress, and fever associated with the condition.
Common Misspellings for CALENTURES
- calenturse
- calenture
- xalentures
- valentures
- falentures
- dalentures
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- cslentures
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- cqlentures
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- caoentures
- calwntures
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- cal3ntures
- calebtures
Etymology of CALENTURES
The word "calentures" has an interesting etymology. It is derived from the late Latin word "calentura", which itself comes from the Latin word "calens", meaning "heated".
In the early 17th century, the term "calenture" was primarily associated with a fever or delirium that sailors experienced when they were sailing in the tropics. It was believed to be caused by the intense heat and the lack of wind, which would drive sailors to become disoriented and imagine seeing tropical land and water amidst the vast ocean.
Over time, the term "calentures" came to be associated with the delusions and hallucinations experienced by individuals suffering from severe fever or heat stroke, particularly in tropical climates. Today, the word is no longer commonly used, but it retains its historical significance in the context of naval exploration and tropical illness.
