noun. A perverted or depraved habit of thought or feeling.

noun. A morbid condition of the body, resulting either from general disease (as syphilitic cachexy) or from a local disease.

noun. Cachexia.

noun. any general reduction in vitality and strength of body and mind resulting from a debilitating chronic disease

"The second consideration is that of health: a severe illness may alarm us for the time being, but an illness of a chronic nature or even cachexy frightens us away, because it would be transmitted."

negro cachexy  

debility  feebleness  frailness  frailty  infirmity  

encephalitis  snake-bite  syncope  tremens