GLOSSARY OF SCIENTIFIC TERMS. 1263 



Piles — A disease consisting of chronic dilatation or small tumors of the 

 blood-vessels immediately about the anus, and attended with more or 

 less pain. 



Placenta — The membrane covering the young in the womb ; the after- 

 birth. 



Plethora — A full habit of body ; full of blood. 



Pleura — The serous membrane lining the interior of the chest, and 

 covering the lungs, which it lubricates with its secretions. 



Plexus — Any union of vessels, nerves or fibers in the form of net work. 



Pneumonia — Inflanmiation of the lungs. 



Poison — Any substance, animal, vegetable or mineral, which appHed ex- 

 ternally or taken internally, causes either death or serious hurtful 

 changes. Poisons are classified as irritant, narcotic, sedative, acro-nar- 

 cotic, and acro-sedative. 



Poll-evil — A chronic, suppurating abscess, on the summit of a. horse's 

 head, around the attachments of the cervical ligaments. 



Polypus — A tumor with narrow base, in the nostrils, uterus, vagina, etc. 



Post-mortem — Literally, after death. The examination of a dead body. 



Predisposed — Prepared or fitted for beforehand ; inclined to ; as, being 

 predisposed to disease. 



Prepuce — The cutaneous fold covering the glans penis. 



Prohang — A flexible, knobbed instrument, for pressing into the stom- 

 ach food or other substance which may have lodged in the throat. 



Process — Prominence; a projecting part; any i)rotuberance, eminence 

 or projecting bone. 



Profuse — Abundant, plentiful ; as, a profuse discharge. 



Prognosis — The act or art of judging by the symptoms the probable 

 course of a. disease. 



Prolapsus uteri — Falling of the womb. 



Prolapsus recti — Falling of the rectum. 



Proud fiesh — A fungous growth on an ulcer, or an excrescence of flesh 

 in a wound from excessive granulation. 



Pulmonary — Pertaining to, or affecting, the lungs. 



Pulsation — A beating or throbbing of the heart or arteries. 



Pulse — The action or beat of the arteries. 



Pumices — The letting down or falling of the coffin bone on the sole. 



Puncture — Any orifice made with a pointed instrument. 



Pupil — The ball or apple of the eye, through which the rays of light 

 pass to the crystalline humors. 



Purgative — ^Any medicine having the power of operating strongly on the 

 bowels. 



