SIGNA 1327 SIGNATURE 



TABLE OF EPONYMIC SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF DISEASES.— Continued. 



la (sig'-nah) [signare, to make a sign ]. In 

 prescription- writing, a conventional term meaning 

 "mark." It designates the physician's directions 

 to the patient concerning the medicine prescribed. 



Signal (sig'-naZ) \_signum, a sign]. A sign. S., 

 Marcel Duprez', the interruption of an electric 

 current produced by a tuning-fork of loo vibrations 

 per second. 



Signatura (sig-nat-u' -rah) [ L. ]. i. Signature. 2. 

 A characteristic mark. 3. The directions showing 

 how medicines are to be taken. 



Signature (sig' -na-iur) [signare, to sign, mark]. In 

 biology, a characteristic, distinguishing, or significant 

 mark or appearance. Ss., Doctrine of, a system of 

 discovering the medicinal uses of a plant or mineral 

 from something in its external appearance (color, 

 shape, or markings) that resembled the disease it 

 would cure. Accordingly, the stony seeds of grom- 

 well (Lithospermum officinale) were held good for 

 gravel, the knotty tubes of Scrophularia for scrofu- 

 lous glands, while the scaly pappus of Scabiosa showed 

 to be a specific in leprous diseases ; the spotted 

 ives of Pulmonaria, that it was a sovereign remedy 

 for tuberculous lungs, and the growth of Saxifrage 



in the fissures of rocks that it would disintegrate 

 stone in the bladder ; Turmeric and Celandine were 

 recommended for jaundice on account of their color ; 

 Livenvort for torpidity of the liver ; Euphrasy, 

 being marked with an eye, was good for sore eyes ; 

 Orchis, resembling a testis, was good as an aphro- 

 disiac ; Dock-root was yellow, and therefore good for 

 jaundice. Many plants still possess common names 

 based on this doctrine, e.g., Backwort [Symphytum 

 officinale); Bladder-herb (Phvsalis alkekengi); 

 Blood-root (Potentilla tormentilla ) ; Breakstone 

 (Saxifraga sp., Pimpinella saxifraga); Bruisewort 

 (Bellis perennis) ; Burstwort (Hemiaria glabra); 

 Cancerwort (Linaria spuria, L. elatine) ; Chafe - 

 weed (Gnaphalium sylvaticum) ; Colickwort (Al- 

 chemilla arvensis) ; Dropwort (Spirwa Jilipendula) ; 

 Eyebright [Euphrasia officinalis) ; Felonwort (Sola- 

 num dulcamara ) ; Gallwort ( Linaria vulgaris) ; 

 Goutweed ( sEgopodium podagraria ) ; Jaundice 

 Tree (Berberis vulgaris); Milkwort [Polygala vul- 

 garis); Nailwort ( Draba verna); Navelwort 

 (Cotyledon umbilicus) ; Neckweed (Cannabis sativa) ; 

 Open-arse ( Mcspilus germanica ) ; Palsywort 

 (Primula veris) ; Pestilence-wort (Petasites vul- 



