GLOSSARY 453 



Skel'e-ton (Gr. skellein, to dry), the bones of the body. 

 So-lu'tion (Lat. solutus, dissolved), a liquid mixture in which the in- 

 gredients are not changed in essential properties. 

 Speech, the expression of thoughts by words. 

 Spine (Lat. spina, the backbone), the backbone. 

 Spleen (Gr. spleri), a soft, red organ lying to the left of the stomach. 



Its use is probably to form the red blood cells. 

 Spore (Gr. spora, seed), a reproductive cell of a flowerless plant. Spores 



are extremely minute, and some are capable of resisting influences 



which are fatal to most other forms of life. 

 Stapes (Lat. stapes, stirrup), the third bone in the chain of bones which 



conducts sound from the membrana tympani to the inner ear. 

 Starch (Anglo-Saxon, stearc, strong), a food substance composed of 



carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. It is the first recognizable form 



through which organic substances pass as they are built up by plants. 



In the body it is changed to sugar. 

 Ste-ap'sin (Gr. stear, suet), the ferment of the pancreatic juice which 



digests fat. 

 Ster'il-ize (Lat. sterilis, without power to produce seed), to destroy 



bacteria and their spores as by heat or chemicals. It is usually 



applied to the preparation of surgical dressings. 

 Ster'num (Gr. sternon, the breast), the flat bone which extends down 



the front of the breast ; the breast bone. 

 Stim'u-lant (Lat. stimulus, a whip), a substance which excites a part 



to action without increasing its supply of energy. 

 Stomach (jstum'ak) (Gr. stoma, a mouth or entrance), the muscular 



bag into which food enters when swallowed, and which begins the 



work of digestion. 

 Strych'nine (Gr. struchnos, a kind of shrub), a substance obtained from 



the seeds of the strychnos shrub. It is used to increase the power of 



the nervous system ; in overdoses it produces violent convulsions. 

 Sub-lin'gual glands (Lat. sub, under, and lingua, tongue), the two 



salivary glands under the front part of the tongue. 

 Sub-max'il-la-ry gland (Lat. sub, under, and maxilla, jaw), the 



salivary gland situated under the side of the lower jaw. 

 Su'gar (Lat. saccharum, sugar), a sweet substance composed of carbon, 



hydrogen, and oxygen in nearly the same proportions as in starch. 



There are many varieties, but during digestion all are changed to 



glucose or grape sugar. It gives heat to the body. 



