Bluecough

Bluecough is an unfortunate disease that attacks the respiratory system. It is most prevalent in cities and towns, especially in places lacking in good ventilation. A sick person with Bluecough endures wracking coughs that at first are dry, but as the disease progresses, the lungs and trachea fill with an odious, coarse, bright-blue luminescent phlegm, which is ejected in the more vigorous coughs. The phlegm is thick, viscous, and a vector for contagion. While not particularly contagious, touching the stuff often is associated with contracting the disease. A strong person may survive the disease after it runs its course, but coughing up the blue phlegm is painful and taxing on the body. The young, old, or weak often become too tired to continue coughing, and so drown in the built-up phlegm. Those who have it worse than others but still pull through often have scarred throats from then on, damaging the voice. It is particularly deadly in halflings, and particularly mild in giants, while men, elves, and dwarves have a medium survival rate. The maximum duration of the illness typically lasts only a week in giants, a week or two in men, elves, and dwarves, and up to a month in halflings, though people do recover sooner more often than not.
Patients are given honey to soothe their throats, which quickly become raw and painful from the coughing and the slightly abrasive phlegm. It also helps to rejuvenate the patient's energy reserves. The patient's chest may also be pressed in an attempt to assist in the ejection of the phlegm. Dwarves of Miernavan have an herb that, when crushed and boiled in water, release a steam that loosens the mucus, making it easier to eject. Giants take a strong herbed liquor which is not helpful for the disease itself, but does distract the patient from the pain. The blue elves, though masters of medicine, have not developed an effective cure, nor have they determined the origin of the Bluecough. However, they do have draughts that reinvigorate the body, helping the patient to endure the hardship better and eventually pull through. Men and hafllings follow the elves' lead on treating the disease, seeking to keep the infirm fed and rested so that they might last long enough to pull through.
While not as bad as a plague for most races, the bluecough debilitates the healthy and strong while spreading misery in its wake. If a particularly bad infestation of the disease strikes a community during planting or harvesting season, famine often follows.

Type

Bacterial