[ad. mod.L. symptōmatologia, f. symptōmat-, symptōma SYMPTOM + -logia -LOGY.]
1. The study of symptoms; that branch of pathology that treats of the symptoms of disease; also, a discourse or treatise on symptoms.
1804. Med. Jrnl., XII. 564. An abridged Physiology, Pathology, and Sym[p]tomatology.
1822–7. Good, Study Med. (1829), I. 633. Definitions … founded upon a principle of symptomatology rather than of etiology.
1831. J. F. South, trans. Otto’s Path. Anat., Introd. 1. So intimately and firmly is pathological anatomy connected with pathology, symptomatology, and surgery, that a strict distinction between them might be difficult.
1869. Tanner, Clin. Med. (ed. 2), 98. Without a correct knowledge of symptomatology or semeiology—the science which treats of the symptoms and signs of disease—we can know but little of the art of medicine.
2. transf. The symptoms of a disease collectively (as a subject of study).
1798. in Spirit Publ. Jrnls. (1799), II. 185. To attend the more particularly to the symptomatologia, or symptomatology of the disease.
1876. Bartholow, Mat. Med. (1879), 129. Some cases of acute arsenical poisoning are not distinguishable by their symptomatology or morbid anatomy from cases of epidemic cholera.
So Symptomatological a., pertaining or relating to symptomatology (whence Symptomatologically adv.); Symptomatologist, one versed in symptomatology; one who studies or treats of the symptoms of disease.
1843. R. J. Graves, Syst. Clin. Med., xi. 122. I would defy the most accurate symptomatologist to point out any marked distinction.
1859. Semple, Diphtheria, 316. If we glance at the symptomatological picture of Diphthérite.
1876. trans. Wagner’s Gen. Pathol. (ed. 6), 16. We to-day employ the word crisis rather in a symptomatological way, as an expression for certain appearances.
1889. Lancet, 12 Jan., 101/1. Alcoholism … exercises on the organism effects manifesting themselves symptomatologically by the diminution of vitality, [etc.].
