What is "grinder's rot"

Grinder \Grind"er\, n.

1. One who, or that which, grinds.

2. One of the double teeth, used to grind or masticate the food; a molar.

3. (Zo["o]l.) The restless flycatcher ( Seisura inquieta) of Australia; -- called also restless thrush and volatile thrush. It makes a noise like a scissors grinder, to which the name alludes.

4. A submarine sandwich. [local, U.S.]

   Syn: submarine, hoagie.

   Grinder's asthma, Grinder's phthisis, or Grinder's rot (Med.), a lung disease produced by the mechanical irritation of the particles of steel and stone given off in the operation of grinding.

Rot \Rot\, n.

1. Process of rotting; decay; putrefaction.

2. (Bot.) A disease or decay in fruits, leaves, or wood, supposed to be caused by minute fungi. See Bitter rot, Black rot, etc., below.

3. [Cf. G. rotz glanders.] A fatal distemper which attacks sheep and sometimes other animals. It is due to the presence of a parasitic worm in the liver or gall bladder. See 1st Fluke, 2.

   His cattle must of rot and murrain die.
   --Milton.

   Bitter rot (Bot.), a disease of apples, caused by the fungus Gl[ae]osporium fructigenum.
   --F. L. Scribner.

   Black rot (Bot.), a disease of grapevines, attacking the leaves and fruit, caused by the fungus L[ae]stadia Bidwellii.
   --F. L. Scribner.

   Dry rot (Bot.) See under Dry.

   Grinder's rot (Med.) See under Grinder.

   Potato rot. (Bot.) See under Potato.

   White rot (Bot.), a disease of grapes, first appearing in whitish pustules on the fruit, caused by the fungus Coniothyrium diplodiella.
   --F. L. Scribner.