French fits

An old American slang term for delirium tremens — the severe shaking, hallucinations, and physical agitation that come with extreme alcohol withdrawal. The 'French' prefix here follows a historical pattern of English speakers attributing undesirable conditions to other nationalities, which makes the term culturally loaded. It's dated and largely out of use today, but it surfaces in historical American fiction and medical history as a period-specific label for one of the most serious consequences of alcoholism.