440 



THE CENTURY BOOK OF FACTS. 



Nitrogen, nitrogenous. The gas constituting four 

 fif ths of the volume of the atmosphere. 



Noxious. Poisonous; harmful. 



Nucleus, nuclei. The germinal point in a cell; kernel. 



Nutrition. Increasing in growth, or supplying the 

 materials for growth. 



Obcordate. Half egg-shape and half heart-shape. 



Obesity. Excessively fat. 



(Esophagus. The food-passage from the throat to the 



stomach. 



CEstruation. Periodical sexual desire ; heat. 

 Oleaginous. Oily. 

 Ophthalmoscope. An instrument for examining the 



interior of the eye by concentrated and reflected 



light. 

 Optic nerve. The nerve conveying visual impressions 



from the eye to the brain. 

 Osmosis. Attraction of fluids for each other through 



moist membranes and their motion. 

 Occicles. Little bones. 

 Ounce. One sixteenth of a pound; in fluids, eight 



drachms or teaspoonfuls. 

 Oxygen. The gas constituting one fifth the volume of 



the atmosphere. It supports combustion. 



Pad. A folded cloth used as a support. 



Palate. Roof of the mouth. 



Palatine arch. The arch in the rear of the mouth, 



formed by the palate bone. 



Palsy. Loss of sensation or motion, or both ; paralysis. 

 Pancreas, pancreatic juice. A large gland in the 



abdomen, beneath and behind the stomach. Its 



secretion. 

 Papillae. Little raised points upon the surface ; they 



can be seen upon the tongue. 

 Papulose, papular. With dry pimples. 

 Paralysis. To lose the power of motion in a part, or 



sensation, or both. 



Parasites. Animals or plants that subsist upon others. 

 Parenchyma. ' The texture of organs like the liver, 



kidneys, etc. 

 Parotid gland. A gland at the angle of the lower 



jaw which secretes saliva and discharges it by a 



short tube upon the cheek near an upper molar 



(back) tooth. 

 Paroxysm. The period of more aggravated symptoms, 



folio wing an interval of .comparative freedom. 

 Parturition. Childbirth. 

 Pathology. That department of medical science 



whose object is the knowledge of disease. 

 Pelvis. The bony structure at the termination of the 



spine, enveloping and protecting the lower intes- 

 tines, bladder, genitals, etc. 

 Pentandria Monogynia. A name given to a class of 



plants having five stamens and one style. 

 Percussion. Striking with the finger-tips to discover 



by the resonance the condition of internal parts. 

 Perineum. The part between the genitals and the 



anus or tip of the spine. 

 Periodicity. Occurring at regular periods, as a chill 



every other day, etc. 



Periosteum. The tough membrane covering all bones. 

 Peristaltic. The peculiar motion of the intestines 



which propels its contents forward, somewhat like 



the crawling of a worm. 

 Peritoneum. The membrane lining the abdominal 



walls and covering the intestines. 

 Petaloid. Resembling a leaf-stock. 

 Petals. The colored leaves of a flower. 

 Pharmacist, pharmaceutist. One who manufactures 



drugs. 



Pharmacy. The manufacture of drugs. 

 Pharynx. The posterior portion of the cavity of the 



mouth, behind the palate, above the windpipe and 



gullet. The breath and food pass through it. 

 Phosphorus, phosphates. A substance familiar to 



us in matches. It is a constituent of the brain and 



nerves. 

 Phrenic nerve. The respiratory nerve. It arises in 



the neck, passes through it and the chest, and is 



mainly distributed to the diaphragm. 

 Physiology. The functions of the organs of the body ; 



the phenomena of life. 



Pile-compressor. An instrument supporting the rec- 

 tum and anus. 

 Placenta. A fleshy body attached to the womb and by 



a cord to the child, supplying blood and. nourish- 

 ment before birth. 



Plasma. The fluid portion of the blood holding ik 



solution fibrine, albumen, etc. 

 Plastic. Formative. 



Plethora. Abounding in blood ; full-blooded. 

 Pleura. A wetted membrane lining the walls of the 



chest and covering the outer surface of the lung 



There are two. 



Plexus. A network of blood-vessels or nerves. 

 Pneumogastric nerve. The great nerve distributed 



to the chest and stomach. 

 Polypus. A kind of tumor. 

 Post-mortem. After death. 

 Prepuce. The prolonged skin of the penis which 



covers the glans or head. 



Probang. A whalebone rod with a sponge on one end. 

 Probe. A wire for examining wounds, canals, etc. 

 Prophylactic. Preventive. 

 Prostate gland. A gland at the upper portion of the 



urethra surrounding it and touching the bladder. 

 Psoas muscle. The great muscle wnich draws the 



thigh up to the abdomen. 

 Puberty. That . period of life, about the age of 13, 



when the procreative organs most rapidly develop ; 



hair grows about them and upon the face of the 



male, the breasts of the female enlarge, and, in fact, 



the period of youth has passed and that of manhood 



or womanhood arrived. 



Pubic bone. A bone in the lower abdomen immedi- 

 ately under that part of the surface covered with 



hair. 

 Pulse. The beating or throbbing of arteries produced 



by afflux of blood from heart. 

 Pupil. The circular opening in the colored part of the 



eye (iris). 



Purgative. A medicine causing free alvine discharges. 

 Pus. Matter discharged from inflamed tissue. 

 Pustules. Mattery pimples. 



Receptaculum chyli. A hollow organ for holding 



chyle. 

 Rectum, rectal. That portion of the bowels nearest 



the outlet. 



Recuperate. To regain health and strength. 

 Regurgitate. To flow backward. 

 Remission. Decrease in fever. 

 Renal. Pertaining to the kidney. 

 Respiration. Breathing. 

 Retching. Ineffectual effort to vomit. 

 Retina. The lining of the eye. 

 Revulsive. Agents which create diseased action on 



the surface to relieve internal disorder. 

 Roboraut. Strengthening; tonic. 

 R, recipe. Take the articles following. 



Saccharine. Of the nature of sugar. 



Saliva. One of the digestive fluids which is mixed 

 with the food during mastication. 



Sanitarium. A remedial institute. 



Schneiderian membrane. The lining of the nasal 

 cavity. 



Scrofulous. Of Wie nature of scrofula. 



Scrotum. The skin covering the testicles. 



Sebaceous. A name given to the oil-glands of the 

 skin. 



Secernent. Secreting. 



Secrete, secretion. Drawing out fluids from the 

 blood; each gland absorbs material peculiar to it- 

 self. 



Sedatives. Remedies which control or depress exces- 

 sive vital action. 



Self-pollution. Personal excitement of the sexual 

 organs. 



Semen. The fecundating fluid of the male which is 

 secreted by the testicles. 



Seminal. Pertaining to semen or sperm. 



Sensorium. The center of sensations. 



Sepals. The leaves of the envelope of a flower. 



Serum, serous. The watery portion of animal fluids. 



Sigmoid flexure. A bend in the intestines just above 

 the rectum. 



Sinapism. An irritating plaster. 



Sound. A solid rod, catheter shape. 



Spasms. Violent and involuntary muscular move- 

 ments. 



Specific disease. Syphilitic diseases ; private diseases. 



Speculum. An instrument for dilating the orifice to 

 internal canals or cavities. 



Spermatic. Pertaining to sperm or the organs of gen- 

 eration. 



