purpurous

comparative more purpurous · superlative most purpurous

1. archaicPurple.

   Ebrus – the most beautiful of the rivers – / which in Thrace flowest with a strong sound, / along lands famous for their horses – / thou goest down silent to the purpurous sea near Ainos […]

   1979, Giorgio Marcuzzi, quoting Alcaeus of Mytilene, “Fresh Water Environments”, in European Ecosystems (Biogeographica; 15), The Hague; Boston, Mass.; London: Dr. W. Junk B.V., →DOI, →ISBN, page 666

2. archaicmedicineOf or relating to purpura: Synonym of purpuric.

   [Gabriel] Andral states that he was in attendance upon an old woman suffering from a cancerous affection of the stomach, and that, a fortnight before her death, numerous purpurous spots appeared upon the skin, and at the same time a notable quantity of blood escaped daily with her urine.

   1842, George Burrows, “Hæmorrhage from the Urinary Organs, or Hæmaturia”, in Alexander Tweedie, W[illiam] W[ood] Gerhard, editors, A System of Practical Medicine Comprised in a Series of Original Dissertations. … In Three Volumes, 2nd American edition, volumes III (Digestive, Urinary, and Uterine Organs, Hæmorrhage, Dropsy, Rheumatism, Gout.—Formulary, etc.), Philadelphia, Pa.: Lee & Blanchard, →OCLC, page 411

   2 more examples

   The cavities of the pleuræ and pericardium were filled with a reddish serous effusion; but these membranes, with the exception of numerous points of purpurous effusion beneath them, were otherwise quite healthy. The purpurous spots were seen both under the pleura pulmonalis and costalis.

   1838 October 1, James Y[oung] Simpson, “Art VI.—Contributions to Intra-Uterine Pathology.—Part I. Notices of Cases of Peritonitis in the Fœtus in Utero.”, in James Watt Black, editor, The Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal: Exhibiting a Concise View of the Latest and Most Important Discoveries in Medicine, Surgery, and Pharmacy, volume 50, number CXXXVII, Edinburgh: Printed for Edwin and Charles Black; Longman, Orme, Brown, Green, & Longmans, London: John Cumming, and Hodges & Smith, Dublin, →OCLC, page 395

   A very interesting form of purpura is that arising from congenital peculiarity:—Four or five years ago a poor mother brought her child, then aged 2 years, affected with this form of disease. The least blow upon the limbs produced effusions of blood, and a purpurous spot was the result, which soon resembled a large bruise; any puncture of the skin was followed by uncontrollable hæmorrhage; the gums very readily bled. […] During the last winter, the child was again brought to me, but in a dying state, […] The poor mother afterwards came in great distress, because a medical practitioner, who had been called in to see the child, not recognising the nature of the malady, said there must be a coroner's inquest; the purpurous vibices upon the body being mistaken for the bruises of ill treatment.

   1865, S[amuel] O[sborne] Habershon, “Clinical Remarks on Diseases of the Skin”, in Samuel Wilks, editor, Guy's Hospital Reports (Third Series), volume XI, London: John Churchill and Sons, New Burlington Street, →OCLC, page 233