BOTANIC MATERIA MEDICA, 425 
Dehisce—de-his’-ce (Lat. dehisco, I split open, 
from de, down, and fzsere, to gape). To 
part, to open, to split; the act of seed pods in 
plants. 
Dehiscent—To open, like a pod. 
Dehiscence—Gaping, opening; as a pod con- 
taining seed. 
Deliquesce—del’-i-kwes (Lat. deliquescere. to 
dissolve; from de, from, and /:guere, to be 
fluid). A term used to indicate that a sub- 
stance is not permanent; to absorb moisture 
from the air; to become liquid; zinc chlo- 
ride. 
Demulcent — de-mul’-sent (Lat. demulcens, 
stroking down; from de, from, aud mulceo, I 
soothe, gently). Any medicine which lessens 
the irritation of the mucous membrane, or 
that softens. 
Deobstruent—de-ob’-stroo-ent (Lat. de, from, 
and oéstruens, building ; anything for the pur- 
pose of closing the way). A medicine having 
the power of moving obstructions acting on 
the intestines; not necessarily cathartic. 
Despumate—des’-pu-mat (Lat. despumatum, to 
remove the froth or scum; from de and spumo, 
I foam). To froth; tothrow off scum. 
Despumation—The act of a liquid throwing 
off foam, scum and impurities; the act of sep- 
arating the impurities from asyrup or liquid 
by boiling and straining. 
Detergent — de-ter’-gent (Lat. detergere, to 
wipe off; from de and ¢ergeo, I wipe clean). 
The property of cleansing, as in the soap- 
wort family of plants; any article which has 
a Cleansing or purifying property. 
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