338 



OUR BODIES AND HOW WE LIVE 



Lockjaw, see " Tetanus." 



Lymph (Lat. lympha, pure water). 



The watery fluid in the lymphatic 



vessels. 



Marie-us (Lat. malleus, a hammer). 

 The mallet ; one of the small 

 bones of the middle ear. 



Me-a'tus (Lat. mearc, to pass). A 

 natural passage or canal. 



Me-duTla ob-lon-ga'ta (Lat.). The 

 " oblong marrow," also called the 

 spinal bulb ; that portion of the 

 brain which lies upon the basilar 

 process of the occipital bone. 



Mei-bo'mi-an. A term applied to 

 the small glands between the 

 conjunctiva and tarsal cartilages, 

 discovered by Meibomius. 



Mem-bra'na tym'pa-ni (Lat.). Lit- 

 erally," the drum membrane " ; the 

 membrane separating the outer 

 from the middle ear. 



Mes'en-ter-y (Gr. /x&ros, middle, and 

 evrepov, the intestine). A fold 

 of the peritoneum, surrounding 

 an intestine, especially the small 

 intestine. 



Mi'crobe (Gr. /j.iKp6s, little, and /3/os, 

 life). A living organism of very 

 small size, a microorganism, 

 either animal or vegetable. 



More-cule (Lat. molecula, dim. of 

 moles, a mass). The smallest por- 

 tion of a substance which can retain 

 the properties of the substance. 



Mo'tor (Lat. movere, to move). The 

 name of the nerves which con- 

 duct to the muscles the stimulus 

 which causes them to contract. 



Mu'cous mem'brane. The thin layer 

 of tissue which covers those inter- 

 nal cavities or passages which com- 

 municate with the external air. 



Mu'cus (Lat.). The thin glairy fluid 

 secreted by mucous membranes. 



Nar-cot'ic (Gr. vapKovv, to benumb). 

 A substance that produces stu- 

 por, convulsions, and sometimes 

 death. 



Nic'o-tine (from Jean Nicot, who 

 introduced tobacco into France). 

 A poisonous substance found in 

 the leaves of the tobacco plant. 



Nu-cle'o-lus (Lat. dim. of nucleus}. 

 A small body often found within 

 the nucleus of a cell. 



Nu'cle-US (Lat. nucleus, kernel). An 

 essential part of a typical cell, 

 often spherical and usually found 

 near the center. 



(E-soph'a-gUS (Gr. Qtyeiv, ofaciv, to 

 carry, and (fiaye'iv, to eat). The 

 tube leading from the throat to 

 the stomach ; the gullet. 



Ox-i-da'tion. The union of oxygen 

 with other substances, as in com- 

 bustion. The essential part of 

 burning and of breathing. 



Palate (Lat. palatum, the palate). 

 The roof of the mouth, forming 

 the hard palate, and the curtain 

 at the back of the mouth, called 

 the soft palate. 



Pal'pi-ta'tion (Lat. palpitarc, to 

 throb). A violent and irregular 

 beating of the heart. 



