446 GLOSSARY 



Ma-la'ri-a (Ital. malo, bad, and aria, air), a disease caused by the bite 



of a certain kind of mosquito. 

 Mal'le-us (Lat. malleus, hammer), the first bone of the chain of small 



bones which conveys sound waves across the tympanum . 

 Malt, grain, usually barley, soaked in water until it has sprouted about 



half an inch, and then dried. The sprouting changes a large part 



of the starch to sugar. 

 Ma'ni-a (Lat. mania, rage), a form of insanity in which the intellect 



is so active that the judgment cannot control it. 

 Mar'row, fat which fills the hollow bones. 

 Mas-ti-ca'tion (Lat. masticare, to chew), properly, the grinding to 



which food is subjected by the teeth, tongue, and lips. Usually the 



mixing with the saliva is also included. 

 Mas'toid process (Gr. mastos, the breast), the rounded projection of 



bone situated behind the ear. 

 Me-dul'la oblongata (Lat. medulla, marrow), the part of the brain just 



above the spinal cord. It controls respiration and the contraction 



of arteries. 

 Mel-an-choli-a (Gr. melas, black, and chole, bile), a form of insanity 



in which a person's mental actions are excessively retarded. He 



feels downcast and thinks every one is avoiding him on account 



of his sins. It is the opposite of mania. It was formerly supposed 



to be due to black bile circulating in the blood. 

 Mem'brane (Lat. membrana, skin), any skin-like part of the body. 



The membrana tympani is the skin-like tissue which separates the 



middle ear from the outer ear. 

 Mer'cu-ry (Lat. Mercurius, the messenger of the gods), the liquid 



metal commonly called quicksilver. 

 Mes'en-ter-y (Gr. mesos, middle, and enter on, intestine), the thin fold 



of peritoneum which holds the intestine in place. 

 Met-a-car'pal bones (Gr. meta, after, and karpos, the wrist), the five 



slender bones just below the wrist which form the palm of the 



hand. 

 Met-a-tar'sal bones (Gr. meta, after, and tarsos, the flat of the foot), 



the five long bones in front of the ankle which form the front part 



of the foot. 

 Mi'crobes (Gr. mikros, little, and bios, life), the smallest living being. 



Microbes are plants, some of which may grow in the human body 



and produce diseases. They are the same as bacteria and germs. 



