GLOSSARY OF TECHNICAL TERMS 



339 



Pa-pil'lae (Lat. papilla, a nipple). 

 The small elevations found on 

 the skin and mucous membranes. 



Pa-rary-sis (Gr. wapd, beside, and 

 XiW, to loosen) . Loss of function, 

 especially of motion or feeling. 



Par'a-site (Gr. wapd, beside, and 

 (Tiros, food). A plant or animal 

 living upon or within another 

 organism, called the host. 



Pel' vis (Lat. pelvis, a basin). The 

 bony cavity at the lower part of 

 the trunk. 



Pep'sin (Gr. TT^IS, digestion). A 

 ferment found in the gastric juice, 

 and capable of digesting proteids 

 in the presence of an acid. 



Pep'tone (Gr. irtirTeiv, to digest). A 

 proteid body formed by the action 

 of ferments on albumins or other 

 proteids during gastric and pan- 

 creatic digestion. 



Per'i-car'di-um (Gr. irept, about, and 

 KapSla, heart). The sac inclosing 

 the heart. 



Per'i-os 'te-um (Gr. irepi, around, 

 and 6ffT^ov, a bone). A delicate 

 membrane, which invests and 

 nourishes the bones. 



Per'i-tO-ne'um (Gr. irepirdveiv, to 

 stretch around). The investing 

 membrane of the stomach, intes- 

 tines, and other abdominal organs. 



Pha-lan'ges (Gr. <f)d\ay, a body of 

 soldiers closely arranged in ranks 

 and files). The bones of the 

 fingers and toes. 



Phar'ynx (Gr. <f)dpvy%, the throat). 

 The cavity behind the mouth and 

 the nose, leading to the gullet. 



Pi'a ma'ter (Lat. pia mater, gentle 

 mother). The innermost of the 

 three coverings of the brain. It is 

 thin and delicate ; hence the name. 



Pin'na (Lat. pinna, a wing). The 

 external cartilaginous flap of the 

 ear. 



Plas'ma (Gr. ir\d<r<Teiv, to mold). 

 The fluid part of the blood and 

 the lymph. 



Pleu'ra (Gr. Tr\evpd, a rib, the side). 

 A membrane covering the lung 

 and lining the chest. 



Plex'us (Lat. plectere, to braid). A 

 network of vessels, nerves, or 

 fibers. 



Pneu'mo-gas'tric (Gr. jrveijfj.uv, the 

 lungs, and yaar-fip, the stomach). 

 The longest of the cranial nerves 

 giving off branches to the lungs, 

 the heart, the alimentary canal, 

 and other parts ; also called the 

 vagtis, or wandering nerve. 



Poi'son (Lat. potio, a draught). A 

 substance that, when introduced 

 into the body, either destroys life 

 or impairs seriously the function 

 of one or more of its organs. 



Por'tal vein (Lat. porta, a gate). 

 The venous trunk formed by the 

 veins coming from the stomach 

 and the intestines. It carries the 

 blood to the liver. 



Proc'ess (Lat. pro, forth, and cedere, 

 to go). Any projection from a 

 surface ; also, a method of per- 

 formance, a procedure. 



Pro'te-ids (Gr. Trpwros, first). A 

 general term for the albuminous 

 constituents of the body. 



