Glossary 349 



Proc'ess (Lat. procedere, processus, to proceed, to go forth). Any projection 



from a surface ; also, a method of performance, a procedure. 

 Pro-nation (Lat. pronus, inclined forwards). The turning of the hand with 



the palm downwards. 



Pro-na'tor. A muscle which turns the hand palm downwards. 

 Pro'te-ids (Gr. TrpcDros, first, and e!5os, form). A general term for the 



albuminous constituents of the body. 

 Pro'to-plasm (Gr. irpuros, first, and TrXdoro'eij', to mould). The viscid 



material constituting the essential substance of living cells, upon which 



all the vital functions of the body depend. 



Pter'y-goid (Gr. irrfyvi-, a wing, and efSos, form, resemblance). Wing-like. 

 Pto'ma-ine (Gr. TTTW^O, a dead body). One of a class of substances, 



resembling the vegetable alkaloids, formed during the decomposition of 



proteid. See Toxin. 

 Pty'a-lin (Gr. Trrfaiv, to spit). A ferment in saliva, having power to con- 



vert starch into sugar. 

 Pu'pil (Lat. pupilla). The central, round opening in the iris, through which 



light passes into the interior of the eye. 

 Pus (Gr. TTUOS, foul). A yellowish white, creamy liquid produced by the 



process of suppuration. It consists mostly of cells floating in a liquid. 

 Py-ae'mi-a (Gr. irtov, pus, and al/m, blood). A form of blood poisoning 



produced by the absorption into the blood of morbid matters usually 



originating in a wound or local inflammation. 

 Py-lo'rus (Gr. irv\ovpfa, a gate keeper). The opening of the stomach at 



the beginning of the small intestine. 



Re'flex (Lat. reflexus, turned back). Involuntary movements or secretion 

 produced by an excitation traveling along a sensory nerve to a center, 

 where it is turned back or reflected along motor or secretory nerves. 



Res'pi-ra'tion (Lat. rcspirare, to breathe). The act of breathing in and 

 breathing out air. 



Ret'i-na (Lat. retc, a net). The innermost of the three tunics, or coats, of 

 the eyeball, being an expansion of the optic nerve. 



Ri'ma glot'ti-dis (Lat. rima, a chink or cleft). The opening of the 

 glottis. 



Roent'gen-rays, see X-rays. 



Sar'co-lem'ma (Gr. <r</>, flesh, and X^ujwa, a husk). The membrane which 

 surrounds the contractile substance of a striped muscular fiber. 



Scle-rot'ic (Gr. o-fcXijpis, hard). The tough fibrous outer coat of the 

 eyeball. 



