‖geilsiekte, noun

/ˈxeɪlsiktə//ˈxɪəlsiktə/
Forms:
geelsiekte, gielsiekteShow more Also geelsiekte, gielsiekte, and (formerly) gielziekte, gielzickte.
Origin:
Afrikaans, South African DutchShow more Afrikaans (earlier South African Dutch), geil rank, lush (of plant growth) or, due to confusion over spelling and pronunciation, geel yellow + siekte sickness.
Pathology
Note:
In modern Afrikaans ‘geilsiekte’ is used exclusively for prussic acid poisoning, while ‘geelsiekte’ is used exclusively for enzootic icterus (sheep jaundice) caused by selenium poisoning.
1. An often fatal disease of livestock (especially sheep), resulting from the ingestion of plants containing dangerous quantities of prussic acid, and characterized by rapid breathing, bloating, and the discoloration of mucous membranes; keil sick(ness).
1852 M.B. Hudson S. Afr. Frontier Life 17As a proof of the pasture on which they had fed, One sheep was already of Giel Siekte dead.
1867 Blue Bk for Col. 1866 JJ30The loss of sheep has been great, and still further losses have been suffered after the first rains by ‘geil-ziekte’.
1876 J.S. Parkes in M. Parkes Wheatlands (1979) 23Gielzickte I pass over, for altho it is bad and perhaps worse than formerly, it is sometimes to be prevented by a little management.
[1899 Natal Agric. Jrnl 31 Mar. 4Stock maladies are well known to the English pastoralist under their Dutch or South African Dutch names —...‘geelsiekte,’ gall.]
1905 D. Hutcheon in Flint & Gilchrist Science in S. Afr. 358Several opinions are entertained with respect to the nature and cause of ‘Geilziekte,’ but the one most generally accepted is, that it is due to the direct action of a chemical poison which is produced in certain succulent plants by the action of the scorching heat of the sun.
1913 W.M. McKee S. Afr. Sheep & Wool 458Tympanitis is very frequently confounded with the disease known as Gielziekte, but it is..perfectly distinct.
1925 L.D. Flemming Crop of Chaff 18With consummate tact he says nothing about the price of cattle, gielziekte, the khaki bush, and the filing of the Agricultural Census Form A.F. No. 33.
1937 Handbk for Farmers (Dept of Agric. & Forestry) 449The term ‘geilsiekte’ as used by farmers does not signify a definite disease, but is a collective name for different ailments most of which are caused by plant poisoning. By far the most cases..are due to hydrocyanic acid (prussic acid) poisoning caused through the ingestion of wilted green grass.
1971 Beeton & Dorner in Eng. Usage in Sn Afr. Vol.2 No.2, 29Under certain conditions the wilting leaves are said to cause geilsiekte or bloating in sheep.
1981 J. Vahrmeijer Poisonous Plants of Sn Afr. 78The paper-bark thorn is one of a number of Acacia species which cause prussic acid poisoning (geilsiekte).
1988 T.S. Kellerman et al. Plant Poisonings & Mycotoxicosis of Livestock 197Geilsiekte still ranks as one of the important plant poisonings of livestock in southern Africa.
2. With distinguishing epithet, designating a particular ailment:
droë-geilsiekte [Afrikaans droë (earlier Dutch droge), attributive form of droog dry], or dry geilsiekte, dry gallsickness (see gallsickness sense 2);
opblaas geilsiekte [Afrikaans, oblaas (from Dutch opblazen) blow up, become bloated], tympany.
1913 W.M. McKee S. Afr. Sheep & Wool 460Impaction of the Third or Leaf Stomach. This condition is often called ‘Drooge Geilziekte,’ but it is perfectly distinct from that disease. Almost all forms of derangement of the digestive organs..give rise to a dry and impacted condition of the third or leaf stomach.
1927 Farming in S. Afr. Oct. 333 (Swart)First of all there is the term ‘droë-geilsiekte’ which is sometimes used by farmers.
1934 C.P. Swart Supplement to Pettman. 44Droë-Geilsiekte,..A digestive disturbance in sheep, also known by the vague name of gallsickness. The disease is brought about by something that is present in the pasture during certain climatic conditions.
1914 Farmer’s Annual 221I am sorry the enquirer did not say what kind of ‘geilziekte’ as there are several kinds. We here have got ‘dry geilziekte’ and ‘opblaas geilziekte’.
1932 Farming in S. Afr. Apr. 38 (Swart)Sometimes there is slime in the wind-pipe; in many instances the rumen will be bloated (‘opblaas geilsiekte’).
1934 C.P. Swart Supplement to Pettman. 128Opblaas-Geilsiekte,..Hoven and Tympany.
An often fatal disease of livestock (especially sheep), resulting from the ingestion of plants containing dangerous quantities of prussic acid, and characterized by rapid breathing, bloating, and the discoloration of mucous membranes; keil sick(ness).
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Afrikaans
geelvis, nounn.geitjie, nounn.
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