What did they call a stroke in the 1800s?

Historical meaning

From the late 14th to the late 19th century, apoplexy referred to any sudden death that began with a sudden loss of consciousness, especially one in which the victim died within a matter of seconds after losing consciousness.

When did people start having strokes?

History of stroke treatments

One of the earliest known stroke treatments occurred in the 1800s, when surgeons began performing surgery on the carotid arteries. These are the arteries that supply much of the blood flow to the brain. Clots that develop in the carotid arteries are often responsible for causing a stroke.