cavity of the innominate bone for receiving the head of the femur.
Acid (Lat. _acidus_, from _acere_, to be sour). A substance usually
sour, sharp, or biting to the taste.
Acromion (Gr. ἀκρον the tip, and ᾧμος, the shoulder). The part of the
scapula forming the tip of the shoulder.
Adam’s Apple. An angular projection of cartilage in the front of the
neck. It may be particularly prominent in men.
Adductor (Lat. _adduco_, to draw to). A muscle which draws towards the
middle line of the body, or of the hand or foot.
Adenoid (Gr. ἀδήν, a gland). Tissue resembling gland tissue.
Afferent (Lat. _ad_, to, and _fero_, to convey). Vessels or nerves
carrying the contents or impulses from the periphery to the center.
Albumen, or Albumin (Lat. _albus_, white). An animal substance
resembling the white of an egg.
Albuminuria. A combination of the words “albumin” and “urine.” Presence
of _albumen_ in the _urine_.
Aliment (Lat. _alo_, to nourish). That which affords nourishment; food.
Alimentary (Lat. _alimentum_, food). Pertaining to _aliment_, or food.
Alimentary Canal (Lat. _alimentum_). The tube in which the food is
digested or prepared for reception into the blood.
Alkali (Arabic _al kali_, the soda plant). A name given to certain
substances, such as soda, potash, and the like, which have the power of
combining with acids.
Alveolar (Lat. _alveolus_, a little hollow). Pertaining to the alveoli,
the _cavities_ for the reception of the teeth.
Amœba (Gr. ἀμείβω, to change). A single-celled, protoplasmic organism,
which is constantly changing its form by protrusions and withdrawals of
its substance.
Amœboid. Like an _amœba_.
Ampulla (Lat. _ampulla_, a wine-flask). The dilated part of the
semicircular canals of the internal ear.
Anabolism (Gr. ἀναβάλλω, to throw or build up). The process by means of
which simpler elements are _built up_ into more complex.
Anæsthetics (Gr. ἀν, without, and αἰσθησία, feeling). Those medicinal
agents which prevent the feeling of pain, such as chloroform, ether,
laughing-gas, etc.
Anastomosis (Gr. ἀνά, by, and στόμα, a mouth). The intercommunication
of vessels.
Anatomy (Gr. ἀνατέμνω, to cut up). The science which describes the
structure of living things. The word literally means dissection.
Antiseptic (Lat. _anti_, against, and _sepsis_, poison). Opposing or
counter-acting putrefaction.
Antrum (Lat. _antrum_, a cave). The cavity in the upper jaw.
Aorta (Gr. ἀορτή, from ἀείρο, to raise up). The great artery that
_rises up_ from the left ventricle of the heart.
Aponeurosis (Gr. ἀπό, from, and νεῦρον, a nerve). A fibrous membranous
expansion of a tendon; the nerves and tendons were formerly thought to
be identical structures, both appearing as white cords.
Apoplexy (Gr. ἀποπληξία, a sudden stroke). The escape of blood from a
ruptured blood-vessel into the substance of the brain.
Apparatus. A number of organs of various sizes and structures working
together for some special object.
Appendages (Lat. _ad_ and _pendeo_, to hang from). Something connected
with a part.
Aqueous Humor (Lat. _aqua_, water). The watery fluid occupying the
space between the cornea and crystalline lens of the eye.
Arachnoid Membrane (Gr. ἀράχνη, a spider, and εἰδώς, like). The thin
covering of the brain and spinal cord, between the dura mater and the
pia mater.
Arbor Vitæ. Literally, “the tree of life”; a name given to the peculiar
appearance presented by a section of the cerebellum.
Areolar (Lat. _areola_, a small space, dim. of _area_). A term applied
to a connective tissue containing _small spaces_.
Artery (Gr. ἀήρ, air, and τερέω, to contain). A vessel by which blood
is carried away from the heart. It was supposed by the ancients to
contain only air, hence the name.
Articulation (Lat. _articulo_, to form a joint). The more or less
movable union of bones, etc.; a joint.
Arytenoid Cartilages (Gr. ἀρύταινα, a ladle). Two small cartilages of
the larynx, resembling the mouth of a pitcher.
Asphyxia (Gr. ἀ, without, and σφίξις, the pulse). Literally, “without
pulse.” Condition caused by non-oxygenation of the blood.
Assimilation (Lat. _ad_, to, and _similis_, like). The conversion of
food into living tissue.
Asthma (Gr. ἆσθμα, a gasping). Spasmodic affection of the bronchial
tubes in which free respiration is interfered with, owing to their
diminished caliber.
Astigmatism (Gr. ἀ, without, and στίγμα, a point). Irregular refraction
of the eye, producing a blurred image.
Atrophy (Gr. ἀ, without, and τροφή, nourishment). Wasting of a part
from lack of nutrition.
Auditory Nerve (Lat. _audio_, to hear). The special nerve of hearing.
Auricle (Lat. _auricula_, a little ear). A cavity of the heart.
Azygos (Gr. ἀ, without, and ζυγός, a yoke). Without fellow; not paired.
Bacteria (βακτήριον, a staff). A microscopic, vegetable organism;
certain species are active agents in fermentation, while others appear
to be the cause of infectious diseases.
Bactericide (_Bacterium_ and Lat. _caedere_, to kill). Same as
_germicide_.
Bile. The gall, or peculiar secretion of the liver; a viscid, yellowish
fluid, and very bitter to the taste.
Biology (Gr. βίος, life, and λόγος, discourse). The science which
treats of living bodies.
Bladder (Saxon _bleddra_, a bladder, a goblet). A bag, or sac, serving
as a receptacle of some secreted fluid, as the _gall bladder_, etc. The
receptacle of the urine in man and other animals.
Bright’s Disease. A group of diseases of the kidney, first described by
Dr. Bright, an English physician.
Bronchi (Gr. βρόγχος, windpipe). The first two divisions, or branches,
of the trachea; one enters each lung.
Bronchial Tubes. The smaller branches of the trachea within the
substance of the lungs terminating in the air cells.
Bronchitis. Inflammation of the larger bronchial tubes; a “cold”
affecting the air passages.
Bunion. An enlargement and inflammation of the first joint of the great
toe.
Bursa. A pouch; a membranous sac interposed between parts which are
subject to movement, one on the other, to allow them to glide smoothly.
Callus (Lat. _calleo_, to be thick-skinned). Any excessive hardness of
the skin caused by friction or pressure.
Canal (Lat. _canalis_, a canal). A tube or passage.
Capillary (Lat. _capillus_, hair). The smallest blood-vessels, so
called because they are so minute.
Capsule (Lat. _capsula_, a little chest). A membranous bag enclosing a
part.
Carbon Dioxid, often called _carbonic acid_. The gas which is present
in the air breathed out from the lungs; a waste product of the animal
kingdom and a food of the vegetable kingdom.
Cardiac (Gr. καρδία, the heart). The cardiac orifice of the stomach is
the upper one, and is near the heart; hence its name.
Carnivorous (Lat. _caro_, flesh, and _voro_, to devour). Subsisting
upon flesh.
Carron Oil. A mixture of equal parts of linseed oil and lime-water, so
called because first used at the Carron Iron Works in Scotland.
Cartilage. A tough but flexible material forming a part of the joints,
air passages, nostrils, ear; gristle, etc.
Caruncle (Lat. _caro_, flesh). The small, red, conical-shaped body at
the inner angle of the eye, consisting of a cluster of follicles.
Casein (Lat. _caseus_, cheese). The albuminoid substance of milk; it
forms the basis of cheese.
Catarrh. An inflammation of a mucous membrane, usually attended with an
increased secretion of mucus. The word is often limited to _nasal_
catarrh.
Cauda Equina (Lat., horse’s tail). The collection of large nerves
descending from the lower end of the spinal cord.
Cell (Lat. _cella_, a storeroom). The name of the tiny miscroscopic
elements, which, with slender threads or fibers, make up most of the
body; they were once believed to be little hollow chambers; hence the
name.
Cement. The substance which forms the outer part of the fang of a
tooth.
Cerebellum (dim. for _cerebrum_, the brain). The little brain, situated
beneath the posterior third of the cerebrum.
Cerebrum. The brain proper, occupying the upper portion of the skull.
Ceruminous (Lat. _cerumen_, ear wax). A term applied to the glands
secreting cerumen, or _ear wax_.
Chloral. A powerful drug and narcotic poison used to produce sleep.
Chloroform. A narcotic poison generally used by inhalation; of
extensive use in surgical operations. It produces anæsthesia.
Chondrin (Gr. χονδρός, cartilage). A kind of gelatine obtained by
boiling _cartilage_.
Chordæ Tendineæ. Tendinous cords.
Choroid (Gr. χορίον, skin, and εἶδος, form). The middle coat of the
eyeball.
Chyle (Gr. χυλός, juice). The milk-like fluid formed by the digestion
of fatty articles of food in the intestines.
Chyme (Gr. χυμός, juice). The pulpy liquid formed by digestion in the
stomach.
Cilia (pl. of _cilium_, an eyelash). Minute hair-like processes found
upon the cells of the air passages and other parts.
Ciliary Muscle. A small muscle of the eye which assists in
accommodation.
Circumvallate (Lat. _circum_, around, and _vallum_, a rampart).
Surrounded by a rampart, as are certain papillæ of the tongue.
Coagulation (Lat. _coagulo_, to curdle). Applied to the process by
which the blood clots or solidifies.
Cochlea (Lat. _cochlea_, a snail shell). The spiral cavity of the
internal ear.
Columnæ Carneæ. Fleshy projections in the ventricles of the heart.
Commissure (Lat. _con_, together, and _mitto_, _missum_, to put). A
joining or uniting together.
Compress. A pad or bandage applied directly to an injury to compress
it.
Concha (Gr. κόγχη, a mussel shell). The shell-shaped portion of the
external ear.
Congestion (Lat. _con_, together, and _gero_, to bring). Abnormal
gathering of blood in any part of the body.
Conjunctiva (Lat. _con_, together, and _jungo_, to join). A thin layer
of mucous membrane which lines the eyelids and covers the front of the
eyeball, thus joining the latter to the lids.
Connective Tissue. The network which connects the minute parts of most
of the structures of the body.
Constipation (Lat. _con_, together, and _stipo_, to crowd close).
Costiveness.
Consumption (Lat. _consumo_, to consume). A disease of the lungs,
attended with fever and cough, and causing a decay of the bodily
powers. The medical name is _phthisis_.
Contagion (Lat. _con_, with, and _tango_ or _tago_, to touch). The
communication of disease by contact, or by the inhalation of the
effluvia of a sick person.
Contractility (Lat. _con_, together, and _traho_, to draw). The
property of a muscle which enables it to contract, or draw its
extremities closer together.
Convolutions (Lat. _con_, together, and _volvo_, to roll). The tortuous
foldings of the external surface of the brain.
Convulsion (Lat. _convello_, to pull together). A more or less violent
agitation of the limbs or body.
Coördination. The manner in which several different organs of the body
are brought into such relations with one another that their functions
are performed in harmony.
Coracoid (Gr. κόραξ, a crow, εἶδος, form). Shaped like a crow’s beak.
Cornea (Lat. _cornu_, a horn). The transparent horn-like substance
which covers a part of the front of the eyeball.
Coronary (Lat. _corona_, a crown). A term applied to vessels and nerves
which encircle parts, as the _coronary_ arteries of the heart.
Coronoid (Gr. κορώνη, a crow). Like a crow’s beak; thus the _coronoid_
process of the ulna.
Cricoid (Gr. κρίκος, a ring, and εἶδος, form). A cartilage of the
larynx resembling a seal ring in shape.
Crystalline Lens (Lat. _crystallum_, a crystal). One of the humors of
the eye; a double-convex body situated in the front part of the
eyeball.
Cumulative. A term applied to the violent action from drugs which
supervenes after the taking of several doses with little or no effect.
Cuticle (Lat. dim. of _cutis_, the skin). Scarf skin; the epidermis.
Cutis (Gr. σκῦτος, a skin or hide). The true skin, also called the
_dermis_.
Decussation (Lat. _decusso_, _decussatum_, to cross). The _crossing_ or
running of one portion athwart another.
Degeneration (Lat. _degenerare_, to grow worse, to deteriorate). A
change in the structure of any organ which makes it less fit to perform
its duty.
Deglutition (Lat. _deglutire_, to swallow). The process of swallowing.
Deltoid. Having a triangular shape; resembling the Greek letter Δ
(_delta_).
Dentine (Lat. _dens_, _dentis_, a tooth). The hard substance which
forms the greater part of a tooth; ivory.
Deodorizer. An agent which corrects any foul or unwholesome odor.
Dextrin. A soluble substance obtained from starch.
Diabetes Mellitus (Gr. διά, through, βαίνω, to go, and μέλι, honey).
Excessive flow of sugar-containing urine.
Diaphragm (Gr. διαφράσσω, to divide by a partition). A large, thin
muscle which separates the cavity of the chest from the abdomen.
Diastole (Gr. διαστέλλω, to dilate). The _dilatation_ of the heart.
Dietetics. That part of medicine which relates to diet, or food.
Diffusion of Gases. The power of gases to become intimately mingled.
Diplöe (Gr. διπλόω, to double, to fold). The osseous tissue between the
tables of the skull.
Dipsomania (Gr. δίψα, thirst, and μανία, madness). An insatiable desire
for intoxicants.
Disinfectants. Agents used to destroy the germs or particles of living
matter that are believed to be the causes of infection.
Dislocation (Lat. _dislocare_, to put out of place). An injury to a
joint in which the bones are displaced or forced out of their sockets.
Dissection (Lat. _dis_, apart, and _seco_, to cut). The cutting up of
an animal in order to learn its structure.
Distal (Lat. _dis_, apart, and _sto_, to stand). Away from the center.
Duct (Lat. _duco_, to lead). A narrow tube.
Duodenum (Lat. _duodeni_, twelve). The first division of the small
intestines, about twelve fingers’ breadth long.
Dyspepsia (Gr. -δύς, ill, and πέπτειν, to digest). A condition of the
alimentary canal in which it digests imperfectly. Indigestion.
Dyspnœa (Gr. δύς, difficult, and πνέω, to breathe). Difficult
breathing.
Efferent (Lat. _effero_, to carry out). _Bearing_ or _carrying
outwards_, as from the center to the periphery.
Effluvia (Lat. _effluo_, to flow out). Exhalations or vapors coming
from the body, and from decaying animal or vegetable substances.
Element. One of the simplest parts of which anything consists.
Elimination (Lat. _e_, out of, and _limen, liminis_, a threshold). The
act of _expelling_ waste matters. Signifies, literally, “to throw out
of doors.”
Emetic (Gr. ἐμέω, to vomit). A medicine which causes vomiting.
Emulsion (Lat. _emulgere_, to milk). Oil in a finely divided state,
suspended in water.
Enamel (Fr. _émail_). Dense material covering the crown of a tooth.
Endolymph (Gr. ἔνδον, within, and Lat. _lympha_, water). The fluid in
the membranous labyrinth of the ear.
Endosmosis (Gr. ἔνδον, within, and ὠθέω, to push). The current from
without _inwards_ when diffusion of fluids takes place through a
membrane.
Epidemic (Gr. ἐπί, upon, and δέμος, the people). An extensively
prevalent disease.
Epiglottis (Gr. ἐπί, upon, and γλόττις, the entrance to the windpipe).
A leaf-shaped piece of cartilage which covers the top of the larynx
during the act of swallowing.
Epilepsy (Gr. ἐπίληψις, a seizure). A nervous disease accompanied by
fits in which consciousness is lost; the falling sickness.
Ether (Gr. αἰθήρ, the pure, upper air). A narcotic poison. Used as an
anæsthetic in surgical operations.
Eustachian (from an Italian anatomist named Eustachi). The tube which
leads from the throat to the middle ear, or tympanum.
Excretion (Lat. _excerno_, to separate). The separation from the blood
of the waste matters of the body; also the materials excreted.
Exosmosis (Gr. ἔξω, without, and ᾀθέω, to push). The current from
within _outwards_ when diffusion of fluids takes place through a
membrane.
Expiration (Lat. _expiro_, to breathe out). The act of forcing air out
of the lungs.
Extension (Lat. _ex_, out, and _tendo_, to stretch). The act of
restoring a limb, etc., to its natural position after it has been
flexed or bent; the opposite of _flexion_.
Fauces. The part of the mouth which opens into the pharynx.
Fenestra (Lat.). Literally, “a window.” Fenestra ovalis and fenestra
rotunda, the oval and the round window; two apertures in the bone
between the tympanic cavity and the labyrinth of the ear.
Ferment. That which causes fermentation, as yeast.
Fermentation (Lat. _fermentum_, boiling). The process of undergoing an
effervescent change, as by the action of yeast; in a wider sense, the
change of organized substances into new compounds by the action of a
ferment. It differs in kind according to the nature of the ferment.
Fiber (Lat. _fibra_, a filament). One of the tiny threads of which many
parts of the body are composed.
Fibrilla. A little fiber; one of the longitudinal threads into which a
striped muscular fiber can be divided.
Fibrin (Lat. _fibra_, a fiber). An albuminoid substance contained in
the flesh of animals, and also produced by the coagulation of blood.
Flexion (Lat. _flecto_, to bend). The act of bending a limb, etc.
Follicle (Lat. dim. of _follis_, a money bag). A little pouch or
depression.
Fomentation (Lat. _foveo_, to keep warm). The application of any warm,
medicinal substance to the body, by which the vessels are relaxed.
Foramen. A hole, or aperture.
Frontal Sinus. A blind or closed cavity in the bones of the skull just
over the eyebrows.
Fumigation (Lat. _fumigo_, to perfume a place). The use of certain
fumes to counteract contagious effluvia.
Function (Lat. _functio_, a doing). The special duty of any organ.
Ganglion (Gr. γάγγλιν, a knot). A knot-like swelling in a nerve; a
smaller nerve center.
Gastric (Gr. γαστήρ, stomach). Pertaining to the stomach.
Gelatine (Lat. _gelo_, to congeal). An animal substance which dissolves
in hot water and forms a jelly on cooling.
Germ (Lat. _germen_, a sprout, bud). Disease germ; a name applied to
certain tiny bacterial organisms which have been demonstrated to be the
cause of disease.
Germicide (_Germ_, and Lat. _caedere_, to kill). Any agent which has a
destructive action upon living germs, especially _bacteria_.
Gland (Lat. _glans_, an acorn). An organ consisting of follicles and
ducts, with numerous blood-vessels interwoven.
Glottis (Gr. γλόττα, the tongue). The narrow opening between the vocal
cords.
Glucose. A kind of sugar found in fruits, also known as grape sugar.
Gluten. The glutinous albuminoid ingredient of cereals.
Glycogen. Literally, “producing glucose.” Animal starch found in liver,
which may be changed into glucose.
Gram. Unit of metric system, 15.43 grains troy.
Groin. The lower part of the abdomen, just above each thigh.
Gustatory (Lat. _gusto_, _gustatum_, to taste). Belonging to the sense
of _taste_.
Gymnastics (Gr. γυμνάξω, to exercise). The practice of athletic
exercises.
Hæmoglobin (Gr. αἷμα, blood, and Lat. _globus_, a globe or globule). A
complex substance which forms the principal coloring constituent of the
red corpuscles of the blood.
Hemispheres (Gr. ἡμί, half, and σφαῖρα, a sphere). Half a sphere, the
lateral halves of the cerebrum, or brain proper.
Hemorrhage (Gr. αἷμα, blood, and ῥήγνυμι, to burst). Bleeding, or the
loss of blood.
Hepatic (Gr. ἧπαρ, the liver). Pertaining to the liver.
Herbivorous (Lat. _herba_, an herb, and _voro_, to devour). Applied to
animals that subsist upon vegetable food.
Heredity. The predisposition or tendency derived from one’s ancestors
to definite physiological actions.
Hiccough. A convulsive motion of some of the muscles used in breathing,
accompanied by a shutting of the glottis.
Hilum, sometimes written Hilus. A small fissure, notch, or depression.
A term applied to the concave part of the kidney.
Homogeneous (Gr. ὁμός, the same, and γένος, kind). Of the _same kind_
or quality throughout; uniform in nature,—the reverse of heterogeneous.
Humor. The transparent contents of the eyeball.
Hyaline (Gr. ὕαλος, glass). Glass-like, resembling glass in
transparency.
Hydrogen. An elementary gaseous substance, which, in combination with
oxygen, produces water.
Hydrophobia (Gr. ὕδωρ, water, and φοβέομαι, to fear). A disease caused
by the bite of a rabid dog or other animal.
Hygiene (Gr. ὑγἰεια health). The art of preserving health and
preventing disease.
Hyoid (Gr. letter υ, and εἰδος, form, resemblance). The bone at the
root of the tongue, shaped like the Greek letter υ.
Hypermetropia (Gr. ὑπέρ over, beyond, μέτρον, measure, and ώ̓ψ, the
eye). Far-sightedness.
Hypertrophy (Gr. ὑπέρ, over, and τροφή, nourishment). Excessive growth;
thickening or enlargement of any part or organ.
Incisor (Lat. _incido_, to cut). Applied to the four front teeth of
both jaws, which have sharp, cutting edges.
Incus. An anvil; the name of one of the bones of the middle ear.
Indian Hemp. The common name of _Cannabis Indica_, an intoxicating drug
known as _hasheesh_ and by other names in Eastern countries.
Inferior Vena Cava. The chief vein of the lower part of the body.
Inflammation (Lat. prefix _in_ and _flammo_, to flame). A redness or
swelling of any part of the body with heat and pain.
Insalivation (Lat. _in_ and _saliva_, the fluid of the mouth). The
mingling of the saliva with the food during the act of chewing.
Inspiration (Lat. _inspiro, spiratum_, to breathe in). The act of
drawing in the breath.
Intestine (Lat. _intus_, within). The part of the alimentary canal
which is continuous with the lower end of the stomach; also called the
bowels.
Iris (Lat. _iris_, the rainbow). The thin, muscular ring which lies
between the cornea and crystalline lens, giving the eye its special
color.
Jaundice (Fr. _jaunisse_, yellow). A disorder in which the skin and
eyes assume a yellowish tint.
Katabolism (Gr. καταβάλλω, to throw down). The process by means of
which the more complex elements are rendered more simple and less
complex. The opposite of _anabolism_.
Labyrinth. The internal ear, so named from its many windings.
Lacrymal Apparatus (Lat. _lacryma_, a tear). The organs for forming and
carrying away the tears.
Lacteals (Lat. _lac, lactis_, milk). The absorbent vessels of the small
intestines.
Laryngoscope (Gr. λάρυγξ, larynx, and σκοπέω, to behold). An instrument
consisting of a mirror held in the throat, and a reflector to throw
light on it, by which the interior of the larynx is brought into view.
Larynx. The cartilaginous tube situated at the top of the windpipe.
Lens. Literally, a lentil; a piece of transparent glass or other
substance so shaped as either to converge or disperse the rays of
light.
Ligament (Lat. _ligo_, to bind). A strong, fibrous material binding
bones or other solid parts together.
Ligature (Lat. _ligo_, to bind). A thread of some material used in
tying a cut or injured artery.
Lobe. A round, projecting part of an organ, as of the liver, lungs, or
brain.
Lymph (Lat. _lympha_, pure water). The watery fluid conveyed by the
lymphatic vessels.
Lymphatic Vessels. A system of absorbent vessels.
Malleus. Literally, the mallet; one of the small bones of the middle
ear.
Marrow. The soft, fatty substance contained in the cavities of bones.
Mastication (Lat. _mastico_, to chew). The act of cutting and grinding
the food to pieces by means of the teeth.
Meatus (Lat. _meo_, _meatum_, to pass). A _passage_ or canal.
Medulla Oblongata. The “oblong marrow”; that portion of the brain which
lies upon the basilar process of the occipital bone.
Meibomian. A term applied to the small glands between the conjunctiva
and tarsal cartilages, discovered by _Meibomius_.
Membrana Tympani. Literally, the membrane of the drum; a delicate
partition separating the outer from the middle ear; it is sometimes
popularly called “the drum of the ear.”
Membrane. A thin layer of tissue serving to cover some part of the
body.
Mesentery (Gr. μέσος, middle, and ἔντερον, the intestine). A
duplicature of the peritoneum covering the small _intestine_, which
occupies the _middle_ or center of the abdominal cavity.
Metabolism (Gr. μεταβολή, change). The _changes_ taking place in cells,
whereby they become more complex and contain more force, or less
complex and contain less force. The former is constructive metabolism,
or _anabolism_; the latter, destructive metabolism, or _katabolism_.
Microbe (Gr. μικρός, little, and βίος, life). A microscopic organism,
particularly applied to bacteria.
Microscope (Gr. μικρός, small, and σκοπέω, to look at). An optical
instrument which assists in the examination of minute objects.
Molar (Lat. _mola_, a mill). The name applied to the three back teeth
at each side of the jaw; the grinders, or mill-like teeth.
Molecule (dim. of Lat. _moles_, a mass). The smallest quantity into
which the mass of any substance can physically be divided. A molecule
may be chemically separated into two or more atoms.
Morphology (Gr. μόρφη, form, and λόγος, discourse). The study of the
laws of form or structure in living beings.
Motor (Lat. _moveo_, _motum_, to move). The name of the nerves which
conduct to the muscles the stimulus which causes them to contract.
Mucous Membrane. The thin layer of tissue which covers those internal
cavities or passages which communicate with the external air.
Mucus. The glairy fluid secreted by mucous membranes.
Myopia (Gr. μύω, to shut, and ὤψ, the eye). A defect of vision
dependent upon an eyeball that is too long, rendering distant objects
indistinct; _near sight_.
Myosin (Gr. μῶς, muscle). Chief proteid substance of muscle.
Narcotic (Gr. ναρκάω, to benumb). A medicine which, in poisonous doses,
produces stupor, convulsions, and sometimes death.
Nerve Cell. A minute round and ashen-gray cell found in the brain and
other nervous centers.
Nerve Fiber. An exceedingly slender thread of nervous tissue.
Nicotine. The poisonous and stupefying oil extracted from tobacco.
Nostril (Anglo-Saxon _nosu_, nose, and _thyrl_, a hole). One of the two
outer openings of the nose.
Nucleolus (dim. of _nucleus_). A little nucleus.
Nucleus (Lat. _nux_, a nut). A central part of any body, or that about
which matter is collected. In anatomy, a cell within a cell.
Nutrition (Lat. _nutrio_, to nourish). The processes by which the
nourishment of the body is accomplished.
Odontoid (Gr. ὀδούς, a tooth, εἶδσ, shape). The name of the bony peg of
the second vertebra, around which the first turns.
Œsophagus. Literally, that which carries food. The tube leading from
the throat to the stomach; the gullet.
Olecranon (Gr. ὠλένη, the elbow, and κρανίον, the top of the head). A
curved eminence at the upper and back part of the ulna.
Olfactory (Lat. _olfacio_, to smell). Pertaining to the sense of smell.
Optic (Gr. ὀπτεύω, to see). Pertaining to the sense of sight.
Orbit (Lat. _orbis_, a circle). The bony socket or cavity in which the
eyeball is situated.
Organ (Lat. _organum_, an instrument or implement). A portion of the
body having some special function or duty.
Osmosis (Gr. ὠσμός, impulsion). Diffusion of liquids through membranes.
Ossa Innominata, pl. of Os Innominatum (Lat.). “Unnamed bones.” The
irregular bones of the pelvis, unnamed on account of their
non-resemblance to any known object.
Otoconia (Gr. οὖς, an ear, and κονία, dust). Minute crystals of lime in
the vestibule of the ear; also known as _otoliths_.
Palate (Lat. _palatum_, the palate). The roof of the mouth, consisting
of the hard and soft palate.
Palpitation (Lat. _palpitatio_, a frequent or throbbing motion). A
violent and irregular beating of the heart.
Papilla. The small elevations found on the skin and mucous membranes.
Paralysis (Gr. παραλύω, to loosen; also, to disable). Loss of function,
especially of motion or feeling. Palsy.
Parasite. A plant or animal that grows or lives on another.
Pelvis. Literally, a basin. The bony cavity at the lower part of the
trunk.
Pepsin (Gr. πέπτω, to digest). The active principle of the gastric
juice.
Pericardium (Gr. περί, about, and καρδία, heart). The sac enclosing the
heart.
Periosteum (Gr. περί, around, ὀστέον, a bone). A delicate fibrous
membrane which invests the bones.
Peristaltic Movements (Gr. περί, round, and στέλλω, to send). The slow,
wave-like movements of the stomach and intestines.
Peritoneum (Gr. περιτείνω, to stretch around). The investing membrane
of the stomach, intestines, and other abdominal organs.
Perspiration (Lat. _perspiro_, to breathe through). The sweat.
Petrous (Gr. πέτρα, a rock). The name of the hard portion of the
temporal bone, in which are situated the drum of the ear and labyrinth.
Phalanges (Gr. φάλαγξ, a body of soldiers closely arranged in ranks and
files). The bones of the fingers and toes.
Pharynx (Gr. φάρμγξ, the throat). The cavity between the back of the
mouth and the gullet.
Physiology (Gr. φύσις, nature, and λόγος, a discourse). The science of
the functions of living, organized beings.
Pia Mater (Lat.). Literally, the tender mother; the innermost of the
three coverings of the brain. It is thin and delicate; hence the name.
Pinna (Lat. a feather or wing). External cartilaginous flap of the ear.
Plasma (Gr. πλάσσω, to mould). Anything formed or moulded. The liquid
part of the blood.
Pleura (Gr. πλευρά, the side, also a rib). A membrane covering the
lung, and lining the chest.
Pleurisy. An inflammation affecting the pleura.
Pneumogastric (Gr. πνεύμων, the lungs, and γαστήρ, the stomach). The
chief nerve of respiration; also called the _vagus_, or wandering
nerve.
Pneumonia. An inflammation affecting the air cells of the lungs.
Poison (Fr. _poison_). Any substance, which, when applied externally,
or taken into the stomach or the blood, works such a change in the
animal economy as to produce disease or death.
Pons Varolii. Bridge of Varolius. The white fibers which form a
_bridge_ connecting the different parts of the brain, first described
by _Varolius_.
Popliteal (Lat. _poples_, _poplitis_, the ham, the back part of the
knee). The space _behind the knee joint_ is called the _popliteal_
space.
Portal Vein (Lat. _porta_, a gate). The venous trunk formed by the
veins coming from the intestines. It carries the blood to the liver.
Presbyopia (Gr. πρέσβυς, old, and ὤψ, the eye). A defect of the
accommodation of the eye, caused by the hardening of the crystalline
lens; the “far sight” of adults and aged persons.
Process (Lat. _procedo_, _processus_, to proceed, to go forth). Any
projection from a surface; also, a method of performance; a procedure.
Pronation (Lat. _pronus_, inclined forwards). The turning of the hand
with the palm downwards.
Pronator. The group of muscles which turn the hand palm downwards.
Proteids (Gr. πρῶτος, first, and εἶδος, form). A general term for the
albuminoid constitutents of the body.
Protoplasm (Gr. πρῶτος, first, and πλάσσω, to form). A _first-formed_
organized substance; primitive organic cell matter.
Pterygoid (Gr. πτέρων, a wing, and εἶδος, form, resemblance).
Wing-like.
Ptomaine (Gr. πτῶμα, a dead body). One of a class of animal bases or
alkaloids formed in the putrefaction of various kinds of albuminous
matter.
Ptyalin (Gr. σίαλον, saliva). A ferment principle in _saliva_, having
power to convert starch into sugar.
Pulse (Lat. _pello, pulsum_, to beat). The throbbing of an artery
against the finger, occasioned by the contraction of the heart.
Commonly felt at the _wrist_.
Pupil (Lat. _pupilla_). The central, round opening in the iris, through
which light passes into the interior of the eye.
Pylorus (Gr. πυλουρός, a gatekeeper). The lower opening of the stomach,
at the beginning of the small intestine.
Reflex (Lat. _reflexus_, turned back). The name given to involuntary
movements produced by an excitation traveling along a sensory nerve to
a center, where it is turned back or reflected along motor nerves.
Renal (Lat. _ren_, _renis_, the kidney). Pertaining to the _kidneys_.
Respiration (Lat. _respiro_, to breathe frequently). The function of
breathing, comprising two acts,—_inspiration_, or breathing in, and
_expiration_, or breathing out.
Retina (Lat. _rete_, a net). The innermost of the three tunics, or
coats, of the eyeball, being an expansion of the optic nerve.
Rima Glottidis (Lat. _rima_, a chink or cleft). The _opening_ of the
glottis.
Saccharine (Lat. _saccharum_, sugar). The group of food substances
which embraces the different varieties of sugar, starch, and gum.
Saliva. The moisture, or fluids, of the mouth, secreted by the salivary
glands; the spittle.
Sarcolemma (Gr. σάρξ, flesh, and λέμμα, a husk). The membrane which
surrounds the contractile substance of a striped muscular fiber.
Sclerotic (Gr. σκληρός, hard). The tough, fibrous, outer coat of the
eyeball.
Scurvy. Scorbutus,—a disease of the general system, having prominent
skin symptoms.
Sebaceous (Lat. _sebum_, fat). Resembling fat; the name of the oily
secretion by which the skin is kept flexible and soft.
Secretion (Lat. _secerno_, _secretum_, to separate). The process of
separating from the blood some essential, important fluid; which fluid
is also called a _secretion_.
Semicircular Canals. Three canals in the internal ear.
Sensation. The perception of an external impression by the nervous
system.
Serum. The clear, watery fluid which separates from the clot of the
blood.
Spasm (Gr. σπασμός, convulsion). A sudden, violent, and involuntary
contraction of one or more muscles.
Special Sense. A sense by which we receive particular sensations, such
as those of sight, hearing, taste, and smell.
Sputum, pi. Sputa (Lat. _spuo_, _sputum_, to _spit_). The matter which
is coughed up from the air passages.
Stapes. Literally, a stirrup; one of the small bones of the middle ear.
Stimulant (Lat. _stimulo_, to prick or goad on). An agent which causes
an increase of vital activity in the body or in any of its parts.
Striated (Lat. _strio_, to furnish with channels). Marked with fine
lines.
Styptics (Gr. στυπτικός astringent). Substances used to produce a
contraction or shrinking of living tissues.
Subclavian Vein (Lat. _sub_, under, and _clavis_, a key). The great
vein bringing back the blood from the arm and side of the head; so
called because it is situated underneath the _clavicle_, or collar
bone.
Superior Vena Cava (Lat., upper hollow vein). The great vein of the
upper part of the body.
Suture (Lat. _sutura_, a seam). The union of certain bones of the skull
by the interlocking of jagged edges.
Sympathetic System of Nerves. A double chain of nervous ganglia,
situated chiefly in front of, and on each side of, the spinal column.
Symptom (Gr. σύν, with, and πίπτω, to fall). A sign or token of
disease.
Synovial (Gr. σύν, with, and ὠόν, an egg). The liquid which lubricates
the joints; joint-oil. It resembles the white of a raw egg.
System. A number of different organs, of similar structures,
distributed throughout the body and performing similar functions.
Systemic. Belonging to the system, or body, as a whole.
Systole (Gr. συστέλλω, to contract). The contraction of the heart, by
which the blood is expelled from that organ.
Tactile (Lat. _tactus_, touch). Relating to the sense of touch.
Tartar. A hard crust which forms on the teeth, and is composed of
salivary mucus, animal matter, and a compound of lime.
Temporal (Lat. _tempus_, time, and _tempora_, the temples). Pertaining
to the temples; so called because the hair begins to turn white with
age in that portion of the scalp.
Tendon (Lat. _tendo_, to stretch). The white, fibrous cord, or band, by
which a muscle is attached to a bone; a sinew.
Tetanus (Gr. τείνω, 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 lockjaw.
Thorax (Gr. θώραξ, a breast-plate). The upper cavity of the trunk of
the body, containing the lungs, heart, etc.; the chest.
Thyroid (Gr. εἶδος, a shield, and εἶ̓δος, form). The largest of the
cartilages of the larynx: its projection in front is called “Adam’s
Apple.”
Tissue. Any substance or texture in the body formed of various
elements, such as cells, fibers, blood-vessels, etc., interwoven with
each other.
Tobacco (Indian _tabaco_, the tube, or pipe, in which the Indians
smoked the plant). A plant used for smoking and chewing, and in snuff.
Trachea (Gr. τραχύς, rough). The windpipe.
Tragus (Gr. τράγος, a goat). The eminence in front of the opening of
the ear; sometimes hairy, like a goat’s beard.
Transfusion (Lat. _transfundo_, to pour from one vessel to another).
The operation of injecting blood taken from one person into the veins
of another.
Trichina Spiralis. (A twisted hair). A minute species of parasite, or
worm, which infests the flesh of the hog: may be introduced into the
human system by eating pork not thoroughly cooked.
Trochanter (Gr. τροχάω, to turn, to revolve). Name given to two
projections on the upper extremities of the femur, which give
attachment to the _rotator_ muscles of the thigh.
Trypsin. The ferment principle in pancreatic juice, which converts
proteid material into peptones.
Tubercle (Lat. _tuber_, a bunch). A pimple, swelling, or tumor. A
morbid product occurring in certain lung diseases.
Tuberosity (Lat. _tuber, tuberis_, a swelling). A protuberance.
Turbinated (Lat. _turbinatus_, from _turbo, turbinis_, a top). Formed
like a _top_; a name given to the bones in the outer wall of the nasal
fossæ.
Tympanum (Gr. τύμπανον, a drum). The cavity of the middle ear,
resembling a drum in being closed by two membranes.
Umbilicus (Lat., the navel.) A round cicatrix or scar in the median
line of the abdomen.
Urea (Lat. _urina_, urine). Chief solid constitutent of _urine_.
Nitrogenous product of tissue decomposition.
Ureter (Gr. οὐρέω, to pass urine). The tube through which the _urine_
is conveyed from the kidneys to the bladder.
Uvula (Lat. _uva_, a grape). The small, pendulous body attached to the
back part of the palate.
Vaccine Virus (Lat. _vacca_, a cow, and _virus_, poison). The material
derived from heifers for the purpose of vaccination,—the great
preventive of smallpox.
Valvulae Conniventes. A name given to transverse folds of the mucous
membrane in the small intestine.
Varicose (Lat. _varix_, a dilated vein). A distended or enlarged vein.
Vascular (Lat. _vasculum_, a little vessel). Pertaining to or
possessing blood or lymph vessels.
Vaso-motor (Lat. _vas_, a vessel, and _moveo, motum_, to move). Causing
_motion_ to the _vessels_. Vaso-motor nerves cause contraction and
relaxation of the blood-vessels.
Venæ Cavæ, pl. of Vena Cava. “Hollow veins.” A name given to the two
great veins of the body which meet at the right auricle of the heart
Venous (Lat. _vena_, a vein). Pertaining to, or contained within, a
vein.
Ventilation. The introduction of fresh air into a room or building in
such a manner as to keep the air within it in a pure condition.
Ventral (Lat. _venter, ventris_, the belly). Belonging to the abdominal
or belly cavity.
Ventricles of the Heart. The two largest cavities of the heart.
Vermiform (Lat. _vermis_, a worm, and _forma_, form). Worm-shaped.
Vertebral Column (Lat. _vertebra_, a joint). The backbone; also called
the spinal column and spine.
Vestibule. A portion of the internal ear, communicating with the
semicircular canals and the cochlea, so called from its fancied
resemblance to the vestibule, or porch, of a house.
Villi (Lat. _villus_, shaggy hair). Minute, thread-like projections
upon the internal surface of the small intestine, giving it a velvety
appearance.
Virus (Lat., poison). Foul matter of an ulcer; poison.
Vital Knot. A part of the medulla oblongata, the destruction of which
causes instant death.
Vitreous (Lat. _vitrum_, glass). Having the appearance of glass;
applied to the humor occupying the largest part of the cavity of the
eyeball.
Vivisection (Lat. _vivus_, alive, and _seco_, to cut). The practice of
operating upon living animals, for the purpose of studying some
physiological process.
Vocal Cords. Two elastic bands or ridges situated in the larynx; the
essential parts of the organ of voice.
Zygoma (Gr. ζυγώς, a yoke). The arch formed by the malar bone and the
zygomatic process of the temporal bone.
Index.
Absorption
from mouth and stomach
by the intestines
Accident and emergencies
Achilles, Tendon of
Air, made impure by breathing
Foul, effect of, on health
Alcohol, Effect of, on bones
Effect of, on muscles
Effect of, on muscular tissue
Effect of, on physical culture
Nature of
Effects of, on human system
and digestion
Effect of, on the stomach
and the gastric juice
Final results on digestion
Effects of, on the liver
Fatty degeneration due to
Effect of, on the circulation
Effect of, on the heart
Effect of, on the blood-vessels
Effect of, on the lungs
Other results of, on lungs
Effect of, on disease
Effect of, on kidneys
Alcohol
as cause of Bright’s disease
and the brain
How, injures the brain
Why brain suffers from
the enemy of brain work
Other physical results of
Diseases produced by
Mental and moral ruin by
Evil results of, inherited
Effect of, on taste
Effect of, on the eye
Effect of, on throat and voice
Alcoholic beverages
Alcoholic fermentation and Bacteria
Anabolism defined
Anatomy defined
Antidotes for poisons
Antiseptics
Apparatus, Question of
Arm, Upper
Arteries
Astigmatism
Asphyxia
Atlas and axis
Atmosphere, how made impure
Bacteria, Nature of
Bacteria, Struggle for existence of
Importance of, in Nature
Action of
Battle against
Baths and bathing
Bathing, Rules and precautions
Bicycling
Bile
Biology defined
Bladder
Bleeding, from stomach
from lungs
from nose
How to stop
Blood, Circulation of
Physical properties of
corpuscles
Coagulation of
General plan of circulation
Blood-vessels, Nervous control of
connected with heart
Effect of alcohol on
Injuries to
Bodies, living, Characters of
Body, General plan of
Bone, Chemical composition of
Physical properties of
Microscopic structure of
Bones, uses of, The
Kinds of
in infancy and childhood
positions at school
in after life
Broken
broken, Treatment for
Effect of alcohol on
Effect of tobacco on
Breathing, Movements of
Breathing, Mechanism of
Varieties of
Nervous control of
change in the air
Air, made impure by
Brain, as a whole
Membranes of
as a reflex center
Effects of alcohol on
Brain center, Functions of, in perception of impressions
Bright’s disease caused by alcohol
Bronchial tubes
Burns or scalds
Capillaries
Carbohydrates
Carpus
Cartilage
Hyaline
White fibro-
Yellow fibro-
Thyroid
Arytenoid
Cricoid
Cells
and the human organism
Kinds of
Vital properties of
Epithelial
Nerve
Cerebrum
Cerebellum
Chemical compounds in the body
Chloral
Chyle
Chyme
Cilia of air passages
Circulation
General plan of
Portal
Pulmonic
Systemic
Effect of alcohol on
Clavicle
Cleanliness, Necessity for
Clothing, Use of
Material used for
Suggestions for use of
Effects of tight-fitting
Miscellaneous hints on use of
Catching, on fire
Coagulation of blood
Cocaine, ether, and chloroform
Cochlea of ear
Cocoa
Coffee
Colon
Color-blindness
Complemental air
Compounds, Chemical
Organic
Condiments
Conjunctiva
Connective tissue
Consonants
Contagious diseases
Contraction, Object of
Contusions and bruises
Convulsions
Cooking
Coughing
Cornea
Corpuscles, Blood
Red
Colorless
Corti, Organ of
Cranial Nerves
Cranium, Bones of
Crying
Crystalline lens
Cuticle
Cutis vera, or true skin
Degeneration, Fatty, due to alcohol
Deglutition, or swallowing
Deodorants
Diet, Important articles of
Effect of occupation on
Too generous
Effect of climate on
Digestion, Purpose of
General plan of
in small intestines
in large intestines
Effect of alcohol on
Disease, Effect of alcoholics upon
Diseases, infectious and contagious, Management of
Care of
Hints on nursing
Disinfectants
Air and water as
How to use
Dislocations
Dogs, mad, Bites of
Drowning, Apparent
Methods of treating
Sylvester method
Marshall Hall method
Duct, Hepatic
Cystic
Common bile
Thoracic
Nasal
Duodenum
Dura mater
Ear, External
Middle
Bones of the
Internal
Practical hints on care of
Foreign bodies in
Eating, Practical points about
Eggs as food
Elements, Chemical, in the body
Epidermis, or cuticle
Epiglottis
Epithelium
Squamous
Columnar
Glandular
Ciliated
Epithelial tissues, Functions of
Erect position
Ethmoid bone
Eustachian tube
Excretion
Exercise, Physical
Importance of
Effect of, on muscles
Effect of, on important organs
Effect of, on personal appearance
Effect of excessive
Amount of, required
Time for
Physical, in school
Practical points about
Effect of alcohol and tobacco on
Experiments, Limitations of
Value of
Eye
Inner structure of
Compared to camera
Refractive media of
Movements of
Foreign bodies in
Practical hints on care of
Effect of alcohol on
Effect of tobacco on
Eyeball, Coats of
Eyelids and eyebrows
Eyesight in schools
Face
Bones of the
Fainting
Fats
and oils
Femur
Fibrin
Fibula
Fish as food
Food and drink
Food, why we need it
Absorption of, by the blood
Quantity of, as affected by age
Kinds of, required
Foods, Classification of
Nitrogenous
Proteid
Saline or mineral
Vegetable
Proteid vegetable
Non-proteid vegetable
Non-proteid animal
Table of
Food materials, Table of
Composition of
Foot
Foul air, Effect of, on health
Frontal bone
Frost bites
Fruits as food
Gall bladder
Garden vegetables
Gastric glands
Gastric juice, Effect of alcohol on
Glands
Mesenteric
Lymphatic
Ductless
Thyroid
Thymus
Suprarenal
Lacrymal
Glottis
Hair
Structure of
Hair and nails, Care of
Hall, Marshall, method for apparent drowning
Hand
Haversian canals
Head and spine, how joined
Head, Bones of
Hearing, Sense of
Mechanism of
Effect of tobacco on
Heart
Valves of
General plan of blood-vessels connected with
Rhythmic action of
Impulse and sounds of
Nervous control of
Effect of alcohol on
Effect of tobacco on
Heat, Animal
Sources of
Hiccough
Hip bones
Histology defined
Humerus
Hygiene defined
Hyoid bone
Hypermetropia
Ileum
Injured, Prompt aid to
Insalivation
Intestine, Small
Coats of small
Large
Intoxicants, Physical results of
Iris of the eye
Jejunum
Joints
Imperfect
Perfect
Hinge
Ball-and-socket
Pivot
Katabolism defined
Kidneys
Structure of
Function of
Action if, how modified
Effect of alcohol on
Kidneys and skin
Lacrymal apparatus
gland
Lacteals
Landmarks, Bony
Muscular
heart
arteries
Larynx
Laughing
Lens, Crystalline
Levers in the body
Life, The process of
Ligaments
Limbs, Upper
Lower
Liver
Minute structure of
Blood supply of
Functions of
Effect of alcohol on
Lungs
Minute structure of
Capacity of
Effect of alcohol on
Bleeding from
Lymph
Lymphatics
Mad dogs, Bites of
Malar bone
Mastication
Maxillary, Superior
Inferior
Meals, Hints about
Meats as food
Medulla oblongata
Membrane, Synovial
Serous
Arachnoid
Membranes, Brain
Mesentery
Metabolism defined
Metacarpal bones
Metatarsal bones
Microscope, Use of
Milk
Mineral foods
Morphology defined
Motion in animals
Mouth
Movement, Mechanism of
Muscles, Kinds of
voluntary, Structure of
involuntary, Structure of
Arrangement of
Important
Effect of alcohol on
Effect of tobacco on
Review analysis of
Rest for
Muscular tissue, Effect of alcohol on
Changes in
Properties of
activity
contraction
fatigue
sense
Myopia
Nails
Care of
Nasal bones
Nerve cells
fibers
cells and fibers, Function of
Nerves, Cranial
Spinal
Motor
Sensory
spinal, Functions of
Nervous system, General view of
compared to telegraph system
Divisions of
Effect of alcohol on
Effect of tobacco on
Nitrogenous foods.
Non-proteid vegetable foods
animal foods
Nose, Bleeding from
Foreign bodies in
Occipital bone
Œsophagus
Opium
Poisonous effects of
In patent medicines
Victim of the, habit
Organic compounds
Outdoor games
Oxidation
Pain, Sense of
Palate bones
Pancreas
Pancreatic juice
Parietal bones
Patella
Pepsin
Pericardium
Periosteum
Peritoneum
Phalanges
Pharynx and œsophagus
Physical exercise
Physical education in school
Physical exercises in school
Physiology defined
Study of
what it should teach
Main problems of, briefly stated.
Physiological knowledge, Value of
Pia mater
Pneumogastric nerve
Poisons
Poisons, Table of
Antidotes for
Practical points about
Poisoning, Treatment of
Portal circulation
Portal vein
Presbyopia
Pressure, Where to apply
Proteids
Proteid vegetable foods
Protoplasm
Pulmonary artery
veins
Pulmonary infection
Pulse
Pupil of the eye
Radius
Receptaculum chyli
Rectum
Reflex centers
in the brain
Reflex action, Importance of
Renal secretion
Residual air
Respiration, Nature and object of
Nervous control of
Effect of, on the blood
Effect of, on the air
Modified movements of
Effect of alcohol on
Effect of tobacco on
artificial, Methods of
Rest, for the muscles
Need of
Benefits of
The Sabbath, a day of
of mind and body
Retina
Ribs and sternum
Saline or mineral foods
Saliva
Salt as food
Salts, Inorganic, in the body
Scalds or burns
Scapula
School, Physical education in
Positions at
School and physical education
Secretion
Semicircular canals
Sensations, General
Sensation, Conditions of
Sense, Organs of
Sense organ, The essentials of
Serous membranes
Sick-room, Arrangement of
Ventilation of
Hints for
Rules for
Sighing
Sight, Sense of
Skating, swimming, and rowing
Skeleton
Review analysis of
Skeleton and manikin, Use of
Skin, The
regulating temperature
Action of, how modified
Absorbent powers of
and the kidneys
Skull
Sutures of
Sleep, a periodical rest
Effect of, on bodily functions
Amount of, required
Practical rules about
Smell
Sense of
Sneezing
Snoring
Sobbing
Special senses
Speech
Sphenoid bone
Spinal column
Spinal cord
Structure of
Functions of
conductor of impulses
as a reflex center
Spinal nerves
Functions of
Spleen
Sprains and dislocations
Stammering
Starches and sugars
Sternum
Stomach
Coats of
Digestion in
Effect of alcohol on
Bleeding from
Strabismus
Stuttering
Sunstroke
Supplemental air
Suprarenal capsules
Sutures of skull
Sweat glands
Sweat, Nature of
Sylvester method for apparent drowning
Sympathetic system
Functions of
Synovial membrane
sheaths and sacs
Taste, Organ of
Sense of
Taste, Physiological conditions of
Modifications of the sense
Effect of alcohol on
Effect of tobacco on
Tea
Tear gland and tear passages
Tears
Technical terms defined
Teeth
Development of
Structure of
Proper care of
Hints about saving
Temperature, Regulation of bodily
Skin as a regulator of
Voluntary regulation of
Sense of
Temporal bones
Tendon of Achilles
Tendons
Thigh
Thoracic duct
Throat
Care of
Effect of alcohol on
Effect of tobacco on
Foreign bodies in
Thymus gland
Thyroid gland
Tibia
Tidal air
Tissue, White fibrous
Connective
Yellow elastic
Areolar
Adipose
Adenoid
Muscular
Tissues, Epithelial
Tissues, epithelial, Varieties of
Functions of
Connective
Tobacco, Effect of, on bones
Effect of, on muscles
Effect of, on physical culture
Effect of, on digestion
Effect of, on the heart
Effect of, on the lungs
Effect of, on the nervous system
Effect of, on the mind
Effect of, on the character
Effect of, on taste
Effect of, on hearing
Effect of, on throat and voice
Touch, Organ of
Sense of
Trachea
Trunk, Bones of
Tympanum, Cavity of
Ulna
Urine
Valve, Mitral
Valves of the heart
Valves, Tricuspid
Semilunar
Vegetable foods
Veins
Ventilation
Conditions of efficient
of sick-room
Vestibule of ear
Vermiform appendix
Vision, Common defects of
Effect of tobacco on
Vivisection and dissection
Vocal cords
Voice, Mechanism of
Factors in the production of
Care of
Effect of alcohol on
Effect of tobacco on
Vowel sounds
Walking, jumping, and running
Waste and repair
Waste material, Nature of
Waste products, Elimination of
Water as food
Whispering
Wounds, Incised and lacerated
Yawning
Footnotes
[1] The Value of Physiological Knowledge. “If any one doubts the
importance of an acquaintance with the fundamental principles of
physiology as a means to complete living, let him look around and see
how many men and women he can find in middle life, or later, who are
thoroughly well. Occasionally only do we meet with an example of
vigorous health continued to old age; hourly do we meet with examples
of acute disorder, chronic ailment, general debility, premature
decrepitude. Scarcely is there one to whom you put the question, who
has not, in the course of his life, brought upon himself illness from
which a little knowledge would have saved him. Here is a case of heart
disease consequent on a rheumatic fever that followed a reckless
exposure. There is a case of eyes spoiled for life by overstudy.
“Not to dwell on the natural pain, the gloom, and the waste of time
and money thus entailed, only consider how greatly ill health
hinders the discharge of all duties,—makes business often
impossible, and always more difficult; produces irritability fatal
to the right management of children, puts the functions of
citizenship out of the question, and makes amusement a bore. Is it
not clear that the physical sins—partly our ancestors’ and partly
our own—which produce this ill health deduct more from complete
living than anything else, and to a great extent make life a
failure and a burden, instead of a benefaction and a
pleasure?”—Herbert Spencer.
[2] The word protoplasm must not be misunderstood to mean a substance
of a definite chemical nature, or of an invariable morphological
structure; it is applied to any part of a cell which shows the
properties of life, and is therefore only a convenient abbreviation
for the phrase “mass of living matter.”
[3] “Did we possess some optic aid which should overcome the grossness
of our vision, so that we might watch the dance of atoms in the double
process of making and unmaking in the living body, we should see the
commonplace, lifeless things which are brought by the blood, and which
we call food, caught up into and made part of the molecular whorls of
the living muscle, linked together for a while in the intricate
figures of the dance of life, giving and taking energy as they dance,
and then we should see how, loosing hands, they slipped back into the
blood as dead, inert, used-up matter.”—Michael Foster, Professor of
Physiology in the University of Cambridge, England.
[4] “Our material frame is composed of innumerable atoms, and each
separate and individual atom has its birth, life, and death, and then
its removal from the ‘place of the living.’ Thus there is going on a
continuous process of decay and death among the individual atoms which
make up each tissue. Each tissue preserves its vitality for a limited
space only, is then separated from the tissue of which it has formed a
part, and is resolved into its inorganic elements, to be in due course
eliminated from the body by the organs of excretion.”—Maclaren’s
_Physical Education_.
[5] The periosteum is often of great practical importance to the
surgeon. Instances are on record where bones have been removed,
leaving the periosteum, within which the entire bone has grown again.
The importance of this remarkable tissue is still farther illustrated
by experiments upon the transplantation of this membrane in the
different tissues of living animals, which has been followed by the
formation of bone in these situations. Some years ago a famous surgeon
in New York removed the whole lower jawbone from a young woman,
leaving the periosteum and even retaining in position the teeth by a
special apparatus. The entire jawbone grew again, and the teeth
resumed their original places as it grew.
[6] The mechanism of this remarkable effect is clearly shown by an
experiment which the late Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes used to take
delight in performing in his anatomical lectures at the Harvard
Medical College. He had a strong iron bar made into a ring of some
eight inches in diameter, with a space left between the ends just
large enough to be filled by an English walnut. The ring was then
dropped to the floor so as to strike on the convexity just opposite to
the walnut, which invariably was broken to pieces.
[7] For the treatment of accidents and emergencies which may occur
with reference to the bones, see Chapter XIII.
[8] “Besides the danger connected with the use of alcoholic drinks
which is common to them with other narcotic poisons, alcohol retards
the growth of young cells and prevents their proper development. Now,
the bodies of all animals are made up largely of cells, ... and the
cells being the living part of the animal, it is especially important
that they should not be injured or badly nourished while they are
growing. So that alcohol in all its forms is particularly injurious to
young persons, as it retards their growth, and stunts both body and
mind. This is the theory of Dr. Lionel S. Beale, a celebrated
microscopist and thinker, and is quite generally accepted.”—Dr. Roger
S. Tracy, of the New York Board of Health.
[9] “In its action on the system nicotine is one of the most powerful
poisons known. A drop of it in a concentrated form was found
sufficient to kill a dog, and small birds perished at the approach of
a tube containing it.”—Wood’s _Materia Medica_.
“Tobacco appears to chiefly affect the heart and brain, and I have
therefore placed it among cerebral and cardiac poisons.”—Taylor’s
_Treatise on Poisons_.
[10] “Certain events occur in the brain; these give rise to other
events, to changes which travel along certain bundles of fibers called
nerves, and so reach certain muscles. Arrived at the muscles, these
changes in the nerves, which physiologists call nervous impulses,
induce changes in the muscles, by virtue of which these shorten
contract, bring their ends together, and so, working upon bony levers,
bend the arm or hand, or lift the weight.”—Professor Michael Foster.
[11] The synovial membranes are almost identical in structure with
serous membranes (page 176), but the secretion is thicker and more
like the white of egg.
[12] “Smoking among students or men training for contests is a
mistake. It not only affects the wind, but relaxes the nerves in a way
to make them less vigorous for the coming contest. It shows its
results at once, and when the athlete is trying to do his best to win
he will do well to avoid it.” Joseph Hamblen Sears, Harvard Coach, and
Ex-Captain of the Harvard Football Team, Article in _In Sickness and
in Health_.
[13] “There is no profession, there is no calling or occupation in
which men can be engaged, there is no position in life, no state in
which a man can be placed, in which a fairly developed frame will not
be valuable to him; there are many of these, even the most purely and
highly intellectual, in which it is essential to success—essential
simply as a means, material, but none the less imperative, to enable
the mind to do its work. Year by year, almost day by day, we see men
(and women) falter and fail in the midst of their labors; ... and all
for want of a little bodily stamina—a little bodily power and bodily
capacity for the endurance of fatigue, or protracted unrest, or
anxiety, or grief.”—Maclaren’s _Physical Education_.
[14] “One half the struggle of physical training has been won when a
boy can be induced to take a genuine interest in his bodily
condition,—to want to remedy its defects, and to pride himself on the
purity of his skin, the firmness of his muscles, and the uprightness
of his figure. Whether the young man chooses afterwards to use the
gymnasium, to run, to row, to play ball, or to saw wood, for the
purpose of improving his physical condition, matters little, provided
he accomplishes that object.”—Dr. D. A. Sargent, Director of the
Hemenway Gymnasium at Harvard University.
[15] “It is _health_ rather than _strength_ that is the great
requirement of modern men at modern occupations; it is not the power
to travel great distances, carry great burdens, lift great weights, or
overcome great material obstructions; it is simply that condition of
body, and that amount of vital capacity, which shall enable each man
in his place to pursue his calling, and work on in his working life,
with the greatest amount of comfort to himself and usefulness to his
fellowmen.”—Maclaren’s _Physical Education_.
[16] To this classification may be added what are called albuminoids,
a group of bodies resembling proteids, but having in some respects a
different nutritive value. Gelatine, such as is found in soups or
table gelatine is a familiar example of the albuminoids. They are not
found to any important extent in our raw foods, and do not therefore
usually appear in the analyses of the composition of foods. The
albuminoids closely resemble the proteids, but cannot be used like
them to build up protoplasm.
[17] The amount of water in various tissues of the body is given by
the following table in parts of 1000:
Solids. Liquids.
Enamel, 2 Blood, 791 Dentine, 100 Bile, 864
Bone, 486 Blood plasma, 901
Fat, 299 Chyle, 928
Cartilage, 550 Lymph, 958
Liver, 693 Serum, 959 Skin, 720 Gastric
juice, 973 Brain, 750 Tears, 982
Muscle, 757 Saliva, 995
Spleen, 758 Sweat, 995 Kidney, 827 Vitreous
humor, 987
[18] The work of some kinds of moulds may be apparent to the eye, as
in the growths that form on old leather and stale bread and cheese.
That of others goes on unseen, as when acids are formed in stewed
fruits. Concerning the work of the different kinds of moulds.
Troussart says: “_Mucor mucedo_ devours our preserves; _Ascophora
mucedo_ turns our bread mouldy; _Molinia_ is nourished at the expense
of our fruits; _Mucor herbarium_ destroys the herbarium of the
botanist; and _Choetonium chartatum_ develops itself on paper, on the
insides of books and on their bindings, when they come in contact with
a damp wall.”—Troussart’s _Microbes, Ferments, and Moulds_.
[19] “The physiological wear of the organism is constantly being
repaired by the blood; but in order to keep the great nutritive fluid
from becoming impoverished, the matters which it is constantly losing
must be supplied from some source out of the body, and this
necessitates the ingestion of articles which are known as
food.”—Flint’s _Text-book of Human Physiology_.
[20] Glands. Glands are organs of various shapes and sizes, whose
special work it is to separate materials from the blood for further
use in the body, the products being known as secretion and excretion.
The means by which secretion and excretion are effected are, however,
identical. The essential parts of a gland consist of a basement
membrane, on one side of which are found actively growing cells, on
the other is the blood current, flowing in exceedingly thin-walled
vessels known as the capillaries. The cells are able to select from
the blood whatever material they require and which they elaborate into
the particular secretion. In Fig. 47 is illustrated, diagrammatically,
the structure of a few typical secreting glands. The continuous line
represents the basement membrane. The dotted line represents the
position of the cells on one side of the basement membrane. The
irregular lines show the position of the blood-vessels.
[21] Tablets and other material for Fehling and additional tests for
sugar can be purchased at a drug store. The practical details of these
and other tests which assume some knowledge of chemistry, should be
learned from some manual on the subject.
[22] The Peritoneum. The intestines do not lie in a loose mass in the
abdominal cavity. Lining the walls of this cavity, just as in a
general way, a paper lines the walls of a room, is a delicate serous
membrane, called the peritoneum. It envelops, in a greater or less
degree, all the viscera in the cavity and forms folds by which they
are connected with each other, or are attached to the posterior wall.
Its arrangement is therefore very complicated. When the peritoneum
comes in contact with the large intestine, it passes over it just as
the paper of a room would pass over a gas pipe which ran along the
surface of the wall, and in passing over it binds it down to the wall
of the cavity. The small intestines are suspended from the back wall
of the cavity by a double fold of the peritoneum, called the
mesentery. The bowels are also protected from external cold by several
folds of this membrane loaded with fat. This is known as the _great
omentum_.
The peritoneum, when in health, secretes only enough fluid to keep
its surface lubricated so that the bowels may move freely and
smoothly on each other and on the other viscera. In disease this
fluid may increase in amount, and the abdominal cavity may become
greatly distended. This is known as _ascites_ or dropsy.
[23] The human bile when fresh is generally of a bright golden red,
sometimes of a greenish yellow color. It becomes quite green when
kept, and is alkaline in reaction. When it has been omited it is
distinctly yellow, because of its action on the gastric juice. The
bile contains a great deal of coloring matter, and its chief
ingiedients are two salts of soda, sodium taurocholate and
glycocholate.
[24] Nansen emphasizes this point in his recently published work,
_Farthest North_.
[25] We should make it a point not to omit a meal unless forced to do
so. Children, and even adults, often have the habit of going to school
or to work in a hurry, without eating any breakfast. There is almost
sure to be a fainting, or “all-gone” feeling at the stomach before
another mealtime. This habit is injurious, and sure to produce
pernicious results.
[26] The teeth of children should be often examined by the dentist,
especially from the beginning of the second dentition, at about the
sixth year, until growth is completed. In infancy the mother should
make it a part of her daily care of the child to secure perfect
cleanliness of the teeth. The child thus trained will not, when old
enough to rinse the mouth properly or to use the brush, feel
comfortable after a meal until the teeth have been cleansed. The habit
thus formed is almost sure to be continued through life.
[27] “If the amount of alcohol be increased, or the repetition become
frequent, some part of it undergoes acid fermentation in the stomach,
and acid eructations or vomitings occur. With these phenomena are
associated catarrh of the stomach and liver with its characteristic
symptoms,—loss of appetite, feeble digestion, sallowness, mental
depression, and headache.”—James C. Wilson, Professor in the Jefferson
Medical College, Philadelphia.
“Man has recourse to alcohol, not for the minute quantity of energy
which may be supplied by itself, but for its powerful influence on
the distribution of the energy furnished by other things. That
influence is a very complex one.”—Professor Michael Foster.
[28] “When constantly irritated by the direct action of alcoholic
drinks, the stomach gradually undergoes lasting structural changes.
Its vessels remain dilated and congested, its connective tissue
becomes excessive, its power of secreting gastric juice diminishes,
and its mucous secretions abnormally abundant.”—H. Newell Martin, late
Professor of Physiology in Johns Hopkins University.
“Chemical experiments have demonstrated that the action of alcohol
on the digestive fluids is to destroy its active principle, the
pepsin, thus confirming the observations of physiologists that its
use gives ride to the most serious disorders of the stomach and the
most malignant aberrations of the entire economy.”—Professor E. C.
Youmans, author of standard scientific works.
“The structural changes induced by habitual use of alcohol and the
action of this agent on the pepsin, seriously impair the digestive
power. Hence it is, that those who are habitual consumers of
alcoholic fluids suffer from disorders o digestion.”—Robert
Bartholow, recently Professor of Materia Medica in the University
of Pennsylvania.
“Alcohol in any appreciable quantity diminishes the solvent power
of the gastric fluid so as to interfere with the process of
digestion instead of aiding it.”—Professor W. B. Carpenter, the
eminent English physiologist.
[29] “Cirrhosis of the liver is notoriously frequent among drunkards,
and is in fact almost, though not absolutely, confined to
them.”—Robert T. Edes, formerly Professor of Materia Medica in Harvard
Medical College.
“Alcohol acts on the liver by producing enlargement of that organ,
and a fat deposit, or ‘hob-nailed’ liver mentioned by the English
writers.”—Professor W. B. Carpenter.
[30] Preparation of Artificial Gastric Juice. _(a)_ Take part of the
cardiac end of the pig’s stomach, which has been previously opened and
washed rapidly in cold water, and spread it, mucous surface upwards,
on the convex surface of an inverted capsule. Scrape the mucous
surface firmly with the back of a knife blade, and rub up the
scrapings in a mortar with fine sand. Add water, and rub up the whole
vigorously for some time, and filter. The filtrate is an artificial
gastric juice.
_(b)_ From the cardiac end of a pig’s stomach detach the mucous
membrane in shreds, dry them between folds of blotting-paper, place
them in a bottle, and cover them with strong glycerine for several
days. The glycerine dissolves the pepsin, and on filtering, a
glycerine extract with high digestive properties is obtained.
These artificial juices, when added to hydrochloric acid of the
proper strength, have high digestive powers.
Instead of _(a)_ or _(b)_ use the artificial pepsin prepared for
the market by the wholesale manufacturers of such goods.
[31] The cause of the clotting of blood is not yet fully understood.
Although the process has been thoroughly investigated we have not yet
a satisfactory explanation why the circulating blood does not clot in
healthy blood-vessels. The ablest physiologists of our day do not, as
formerly, regard the process as a so-called vital, but a purely
chemical one.
[32] Serous Membranes.—The serous membranes form shut sacs, of which
one portion is applied to the walls of the cavity which it lines; the
other is reflected over the surface of the organ or organs contained
in the cavity. The sac is completely closed, so that no communication
exists between the serous cavity and the parts in its neighborhood.
The various serous membranes are the _pleura_ which envelops the
lungs; the _pericardium_ which surrounds the heart; the _peritoneum_
which invests the viscera of the abdomen, and the _arachnoid_ in the
spinal canal and cranial cavity. In health the serous membranes
secrete only sufficient fluid to lubricate and keep soft and smooth
the opposing surfaces.
[33] A correct idea may be formed of the arrangement of the
pericardium around the heart by recalling how a boy puts on and wears
his toboggan cap. The pericardium encloses the heart exactly as this
cap covers the boy’s head.
[34] “Alcohol taken in small and single doses, acts almost exclusively
on the brain and the blood-vessels of the brain, whereas taken in
large and repeated doses its chief effects are always nervous effects.
The first effects of alcohol on the function of inhibition are to
paralyze the controlling nerves, so that the blood-centers are
dilated, and more blood is let into the brain. In consequence of this
flushing of the brain, its nerve centers are asked to do more
work.”—Dr. T. S. Clouston, Medical Superintendent of the Royal Asylum,
Edinburgh.
“Alcoholic drinks prevent the natural changes going on in the
blood, and obstruct the nutritive and reparative
functions.”—Professor E. L. Youmans, well-known scientist and
author of _Class Book of Chemistry_.
[35] The word “cell” is not used in this connection in its technical
signification of a histological unit of the body (sec. 12), but merely
in its primary sense of a small cavity.
[36] “The student must guard himself against the idea that arterial
blood contains no carbonic acid, and venous blood no oxygen. In
passing through the lungs venous blood loses only a part of its
carbonic acid; and arterial blood, in passing through the tissues,
loses only a part of its oxygen. In blood, however venous, there is in
health always some oxygen; and in even the brightest arterial blood
there is actually more carbonic acid than oxygen.”—T. H. Huxley.
[37] “Consumption is a disease which can be taken from others, and is
not simply caused by colds. A cold may make it easier to take the
disease. It is usually caused by germs which enter the body with the
air breathed. The matter which consumptives cough or spit up contains
these germs in great numbers—frequently millions are discharged in a
single day. This matter spit upon the floor, wall, or elsewhere is apt
to dry, become pulverized, and float in the air as dust. The dust
contains the germs, and thus they enter the body with the air
breathed. The breath of a consumptive does not contain the germs and
will not produce the disease. A well person catches the disease from a
consumptive only by in some way taking in the matter coughed up by the
consumptive.”—Extract from a circular issued by the Board of Health of
New York City.
[38] “The lungs from the congested state of their vessels produced by
alcohol are more subject to the influence of cold, the result being
frequent attacks of bronchitis. It has been recognized of late years
that there is a peculiar form of consumption of the lungs which is
very rapidly fatal and found only in alcohol drinkers.”—Professor H.
Newell Martin.
[39] “The relation to Bright’s Disease is not so clearly made out as
is assumed by some writers, though I must confess to myself sharing
the popular belief that alcohol is one among its most important
factors.”—Robert T. Edes, M.D.
[40] Thus the fibers which pass out from the sacral plexus in the
loins, and extend by means of the great sciatic nerve and its branches
to the ends of the toes, may be more than a yard long.
[41] Remarkable instances are cited to illustrate the imperative
demand for sleep. Gunner boys have been known to fall asleep during
the height of a naval battle, owing to the fatigue occasioned by the
arduous labor in carrying ammunition for the gunner. A case is
reported of a captain of a British frigate who fell asleep and
remained so for two hours beside one of the largest guns of his
vessel, the gun being served vigorously all the time. Whole companies
of men have been known to sleep while on the march during an arduous
campaign. Cavalrymen and frontiersmen have slept soundly in the saddle
during the exhausting campaigns against the Indians.
[42] According to the Annual Report of New York State Reformatory, for
1896, drunkenness among the inmates can be clearly traced to no less
than 38 per cent of the fathers and mothers only.
Drunkenness among the parents of 38 per cent of the prisoners in a
reformatory of this kind is a high and a serious percentage. It
shows that the demoralizing influence of drink is apt to destroy
the future of the child as well as the character of the parent.
“There is a marked tendency in nature to transmit all diseased
conditions. Thus the children of consumptive parents are apt to be
consumptive. But, of all agents, alcohol is the most potent in
establishing a heredity that exhibits itself in the destruction of
mind and body. There is not only a propensity transmitted, but an
actual disease of the nervous system.”—Dr. Willard Parker.
[43] “It is very certain that many infants annually perish from this
single cause.”—Reese’s _Manual of Toxicology_.
[44] If an eye removed from its socket be stripped posteriorly of the
sclerotic coat, an inverted image or the field of view will be seen on
the retina; but if the lens or other part of the refractive media be
removed, the image will become blurred or disappear altogether.
[45] This change in the convexity of the lens is only a slight one, as
the difference in the focal point between rays from an object twenty
feet distant and one four inches distant is only one-tenth of an inch.
While this muscular action is taking place, the pupil contracts and
the eyeballs converge by the action of the internal rectus muscles.
These three acts are due to the third nerve (the motor oculi). This is
necessary in order that each part should he imprinted on the same
portion of the retina, otherwise there would be double vision.
[46] The Germans have a quaint proverb that one should never rub his
eyes, except with his elbows!
[47] “The deleterious effect of tobacco upon eyesight is an
acknowledged fact. The Belgian government instituted an investigation
into the cause of the prevalence of color-blindness. The unanimous
verdict of the experts making the examination was that the use of
tobacco was one of the principal causes of this defect of vision.
“The dimness of sight caused by alcohol or tobacco has long been
clinically recognized, although not until recently accurately
understood. The main facts can now be stated with much assurance,
since the publication of an article by Uhthoff which leaves little
more to be said. He examined one thousand patients who were
detained in hospital because of alcoholic excess, and out of these
found a total of eye diseases of about thirty per cent.
“Commonly both eyes are affected, and the progress of the disease
is slow, both in culmination and in recovery.... Treatment demands
entire abstinence.”—Henry D. Noyes, Professor of Otology in the
Bellevue Hospital Medical College, New York.
[48] “The student who will take a little trouble in noticing the ears
of the persons whom he meets from day to day will be greatly
interested and surprised to see how much the auricle varies. It may be
a thick and clumsy ear or a beautifully delicate one; long and narrow
or short and broad, may have a neatly formed and distinct lobule, or
one that is heavy, ungainly, and united to the cheek so as hardly to
form a separate part of the auricle, may hug the head closely or flare
outward so as to form almost two wings to the head. In art, and
especially in medallion portraits, in which the ear is a marked
(because central) feature, the auricle is of great importance”—William
W. Keen, M.D., editor of Gray’s _Anatomy_.
[49] The organ of Corti is a very complicated structure which it is
needless to describe in this connection. It consists essentially of
modified ephithelial cells floated upon the auditory epithelium, or
basilar membrane, of the cochlea. There is a series of fibers, each
made of two parts sloped against each other like the rafters of a
roof. It is estimated that there are no less than 3000 of these arches
in the human ear, placed side by side in a continuous series along the
whole length of the basilar membrane. Resting on these arches are
numbers of conical epithelial cells, from the free surface of which
bundles of stiff hairs (cilia) project. The fact that these hair-cells
are connected with the fibers of the cochlear division of the auditory
nerve suggests that they must play an important part in auditory
sensation.
[50] The voices of boys “break,” or “change,” because of the sudden
growth or enlargement of the larynx, and consequent increase in length
of the vocal cords, at from fourteen to sixteen years of age. No such
enlargement takes place in the larynxes of girls: therefore their
voices undergo no such sudden change.
[51] This experiment and several others in this book, are taken from
Professor Bowditch’s little book called _Hints for Teachers of
Physiology_, a work which should be mastered by every teacher of
physiology in higher schools.
[52] The teacher or student who is disposed to study the subject more
thoroughly and in more detail than is possible in a class text-book,
will find all that is needed in the following excellent books, which
are readily obtained by purchase, or may be found in the public
libraries of larger towns: Dulles’ _Accidents and Emergencies;_
Pilcher’s _First Aid in Illness and Injury_; Doty’s _Prompt Aid to the
Injured;_ and Johnston’s “Surgical Injuries and Surgical Diseases,” a
special article in Roosevelt’s _In Sickness and in Health_.
[53] “A tourniquet is a bandage, handkerchief, or strap of webbing,
into the middle of which a stone, a potato, a small block of wood, or
any hard, smooth body is tied. The band is tied loosely about the
limb, the hard body is held over the artery to be constricted, and a
stick is inserted beneath the band on the opposite side of the limb
and used to twist the band in such a way that the limb is tightly
constricted thereby, and the hard body thus made to compress the
artery (Fig. 160).
“The entire circumference of the limb may be constricted by any
sort of elastic band or rubber tube, or any other strong elastic
material passed around the limb several times on a stretch, drawn
tight and tied in a knot. In this way, bleeding may be stopped at
once from the largest arteries. The longer and softer the tube the
better. It requires no skill and but little knowledge of anatomy to
apply it efficiently.” Alexander B. Johnson, Surgeon to Roosevelt
Hospital, New York City.
[54] Corrosive sublimate is probably the most powerful disinfectant
known. A solution of one part in 2000 will destroy microscopic
organisms. Two teaspoonfuls of this substance will make a solution
strong enough to kill all disease germs.
[55] The burning of sulphur produces sulphurous acid, which is an
irrespirable gas. The person who lights the sulphur must, therefore,
immediately leave the room, and after the lapse of the proper time,
must hold his breath as he enters the room to open the windows and let
out the gas. After fumigation, plastered walls should be white-washed,
the woodwork well scrubbed with carbolic soap, and painted portions
repainted.
[56] Put copperas in a pail of water, in such quantity that some may
constantly remain undissolved at the bottom. This makes a saturated
solution. To every privy or water-closet, allow one pint of the
solution for every four persons when cholera is about. To keep privies
from being offensive, pour one pint into each seat, night and morning.
[57] “While physiology is one of the biological sciences, it should be
clearly recognized that it is not, like botany or zoology, a science
of observation and description; but rather, like physics or chemistry,
a science of experiment. While the amount of experimental instruction
(not involving vivisection or experiment otherwise unsuitable) that
may with propriety be given in the high school is neither small nor
unimportant, the limitations to such experimental teaching, both as to
kind and as to amount, are plainly indicated.
“The obvious limitations to experimental work in physiology in the
high school, already referred to, make it necessary for the student
to acquire much of the desired knowledge from the text-book only.
Nevertheless, much may be done by a thoughtful and ingenious
teacher to make such knowledge real, by the aid of suitable
practical exercises and demonstrations.”—_Report of the Committee
of Ten on Secondary School Studies_.
[58] This ingenious and excellent experiment is taken from the _New
York School Journal_ for May, 1897, for which paper it was prepared by
Charles D. Nason, of Philadelphia.