paroxysm (sudden recurrence of a disease); height, peak
“[…] ; alors, sans doute, le but du médecin doit être de modérer les accidens pour prolonger la vie du malade jusqu'au prochain paroxysme, et combattre ensuite la fièvre par les doses prescrites du fébrifuge.”
Synonyms: zénith
From Middle French paroxisme, paroxysme, parocisme, paroxime, from Old French peroxime (“period of worsening of a disease; bout of fever or illness”), from Late Latin paroxismus, paroxysmus (“a fit; onset of a disease; violent impulse or sadness”), from Ancient Greek πᾰροξῠσμός (păroxŭsmós, “exasperation, irritation; severe fit of a disease”), from πᾰροξῡ́νω (păroxū́nō, “to irritate, provoke”) (from παρα- (para-, prefix meaning ‘parallel to but separate from or going beyond, beside’) + ὀξῡ́νω (o