GLOSSARY 397 



Reaction. Response to a stimulus or test. The iris reacts to the stimulus of light. 



Urine reacts to the litmus test. 



Reflex action. The simplest form of nerve response. 



Receptaculum chyli. Receptacle of the chyle, the beginning of the thoracic duct. 

 Recession. Withdrawal, as the margin of the gums from the teeth. 

 Rectus. Straight, as rectus muscles. Rectum has the same meaning. 

 Recurrent. Running back. Recurrent arteries turn back. 

 Renal. Pertaining to the ren or kidney. 

 Retina. A net. The complicated nerve coat of the eye. 



Rigor mortis. Rigidity of death. The muscular stiffness which occurs after death. 

 Rugae. Folds. (Plural of ruga.) Wrinkles. 

 Saccharose. Cane sugar. 

 Sacral. Relating to the sacrum, or bone which protects the pelvic organs which 



were held sacred by the ancients. 



Sagittal. Like an arrow straight. The straight suture of the skull. 

 Saline. Salty. 



Saliva. The mixed secretions of glands of the mouth and salivary glands. 

 Saphenous. Manifest or plainly seen. The large superficial vein on the medial 



side of the lower extremity and the longest vein in the body. 

 Sartorius. From the Latin sartor, tailor. The "tailor muscle." 

 Sciatic. Ischiatic. Pertaining to the ischium. 



Sclerotic. Hard. The sclerotic is the tough fibrous coat of the eye; the sclera. 

 Scrobiculus cordis. Literally, pit of the heart. The little depression at the end of 



the sternum. The "pit of the stomach." 



Sebaceous. Applied to the glands which produce the oil or sebum of the skin. 

 Secretion. A substance either nourishing or useful, formed by glandular cells. 

 Septum. A partition. (Plural, septa.) 



Serous. Of the nature of serum, a thin watery fluid derived from the blood. 

 Serrated. Having teeth like the border of a saw. (The border of the serratus ant. 



muscle is thus.) 



Serum. A watery fluid separated from blood. 



Sesamoid. Resembling a grain in form. Applied to small nodules of bone some- 

 times found in tendons. 

 Shaft. The main portion of a long bone. 

 Sigmoid. Curved like the letter S. As the sigmoid (or transverse) sinus; the 



sigmoid colon. 

 Sinus. A curve, or a hollow. A bone sinus contains air. An abnormal passage 



opening on the surface of the body is sometimes called a sinus. 

 Soluble. That which can be dissolved or made into a solution. 

 Specific gravity. The weight of a substance, judged in comparison with an accepted 



standard. In the case of urine, the standard is an equal volume of distilled 



water at greatest density. 

 Sphenoid. Wedge-shaped. 

 Sphincter. A muscle which closes an orifice. 

 Splanchnic. Pertaining to the viscera or internal organs. 

 Squamous. Shaped like a scale. 

 Steapsin. The pancreatic ferment which digests fats. 

 Stereognosis. The faculty of recognition of objects by handling them. 

 Sternum. Breast bone. 



Stimulus. That which excites activity or function. 

 Striated. Striped. 



Styloid. Pointed, like the stylus, which was used in ancient times for writing. 

 Sub. Under. 



Subcutaneous. Under the skin. 

 Submucous. Under mucous membrane. 

 Subserous. Under serous membrane. 

 Sudoriferous. Bearing sweat, as sudoriferous glands. (Sudoriparous has the same 



meaning.) 

 Super. Above. 



Superciliary. Above the eyelashes. 



Supercilium. The eyebrow, or prominence above the eyelashes. 

 Supination. The attitude of one lying on the back. The position of the hand when 



the little finger is next to the body, or when lying upon the back. 



