GLOSSARY 363 



Scle-rot'ic (Gr. <r/cX?7pos, skleros, hard). The tough, fibrous outer tunic 



of the eyeball. 

 Se-ba'ceous (L. se'bum, fat). Resembling fat; the name of the oily 



secretion by which the skin is kept flexible and soft. 

 Se-cre'tion (L. secer'no, secre'tum,to separate). The process of separat- 



ing from the blood some essential important fluid ; which fluid is 



also called a secretion. 



Sem-i-cir'cu-lar Canals. A portion of the internal ear. 

 Sen-sa'tion. The perception of an external impression by the nervous 



system ; a function of the brain. 

 Sen-si-bil'i-ty, General. The power possessed by nearly all parts of the 



human body of recognizing the presence of foreign objects that come 



in contact with them. 

 Se'rum (L.). The watery constituent of the blood, which separates from 



the clot during the process of coagulation. 

 Skel'e-ton (Gr.). The bony framework of an animal, the different parts 



of which are maintained in their proper relative positions. 

 Spec'tro-scope (from spec'trum and o-Koirtu, skopeo, to examine the spec- 



trum) . An instrument employed in the examination of the spectrum 



of the sun or any other luminous body. 

 Sphyg'mo-graph (Gr. <r0v7/*6s, sphugmos, the pulse, and 7pd0w, grapho, 



to write). An ingenious instrument by means of which the pulse is 



delineated upon paper. 

 Sta'pes (L.). Literally, a stirrup ; one of the small bones of the tympa- 



num, or middle ear, resembling somewhat a stirrup in shape. 

 Sym-pa-thet'ic System of Nerves. A double chain of nervous ganglia, 



connected together by numerous small nerves, situated chiefly in front 



of and on each side of the spinal column. 

 Syn-o'vi-a (Gr. <rtfj>, sun, and w(>v, oon, egg, resembling an egg). The 



lubricating fluid of joints, so called because it resembles the white of 



egg- 

 Sys'to-le (Gr. o-uo-rAXw, sustello, to contract). The contraction of the 



heart, by which the blood is expelled from that organ. 

 Tac-tile (L. tac'tus, touch). Relating to the sense of touch. 

 Tem'po-ral (L. tern* pus, time, and tem'pora, the temples). Pertaining to 



the temples ; the name of an artery ; so called because the hair 



begins to turn white with age in that portion of the scalp. 

 Ten'don (L. ten' do, to stretch). The white, fibrous cord or band by 



which a muscle is attached to a bone ; a sinew. 



Tet'a-nus (Gr. rdvu, teino, to stretch). A disease marked by persistent 

 contractions of all or some of the voluntary muscles ; those of the jaw 

 are sometimes solely affected ; the disorder is then termed locke<l-j:i\v. 



Tho'rax (Gr. 8upa.%, thorax, a breast-plate). The upper cavity of tin 

 trunk of the body, containing the lungs, heart, etc. ; the chest, 



^ Civ- 



