GLOSSARY 379 



Scle-rot'ic (Gr. cr/cXr/pos, 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 oj: 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 (TKOTT^U, 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. o-0iry/i<Ss, sphugmos, the pulse, and ypd<f>w, 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. <rvv, sun, and wbv, oon, egg, resembling an egg). The 



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



egg- 

 Sys'to-le (Gr. (<n-<?XXw, 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. tem'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. reivu, 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 locked-jaw. 

 Tho'rax (Gr. 66pa, thorax, a breast-plate). The upper cavity of the 



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



