A bleeding at the nose.
1848. Q. What caused your nose to bleed, doctor? (Laughter.) A. I don’t know, except it was the excitement of the affray between the women. Q. What’s the best cure for nose bleed, doctor? (Great laughter.)—Charles F. Briggs, ‘Asmodeus,’ p. 73 (N.Y.).
1853. I do n’t know as I can preach neōw, for I guess I ’m goin’ to have the nose-bleed!—Knick. Mag., xlii. 212 (Aug.).
*** The term used to be applied to the herb yarrow or milfoil, employed to stop bleeding: ‘Family-Dictionary,’ 1695, s.v. ‘Yarrow.’
