Adjective

(-)

(medicine) Descriptive of an existing condition or state that caused, predisposed for or excited a present condition.

*{{quote-book

, author = Colin Macfarquhar, George Gleig , title = , year = 1797 , section = "Causes" , page = 271 , passage = Procatarctic cause'', called also ''primitive'' and ''incipient cause , is either an occasion which of its own nature does not beget a disease, but, happening on a body inclined to diseases, breeds a fever, gout &c. (such as are watching, fasting, and the like); or an evident and manifest cause, which immediately produces the disease, as being sufficient thereto, such as is a sword in respect to a wound. }}