A Practical Physiology Part 48

Bright's Disease. A group of diseases of the kidney, first described by Dr. Bright, an English physician.

Bronchi (Gr. ??????, 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 pa.s.sages.

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.

Ca.n.a.l (Lat. _ca.n.a.lis_, a ca.n.a.l). A tube or pa.s.sage.

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. ?a?d?a, 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 pa.s.sages, nostrils, ear; gristle, etc.

Caruncle (Lat. _caro_, flesh). The small, red, conical-shaped body at the inner angle of the eye, consisting of a cl.u.s.ter of follicles.

Casein (Lat. _caseus_, cheese). The alb.u.minoid 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 anaesthesia.

Chondrin (Gr. ???d???, cartilage). A kind of gelatine obtained by boiling _cartilage_.

Chordae Tendineae. Tendinous cords.

Choroid (Gr. ??????, skin, and e?d??, form). The middle coat of the eyeball.

Chyle (Gr. ?????, juice). The milk-like fluid formed by the digestion of fatty articles of food in the intestines.

Chyme (Gr. ????, 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 pa.s.sages and other parts.

Ciliary Muscle. A small muscle of the eye which a.s.sists in accommodation.

Circ.u.mvallate (Lat. _circ.u.m_, around, and _vallum_, a rampart).

Surrounded by a rampart, as are certain papillae of the tongue.

Coagulation (Lat. _coagulo_, to curdle). Applied to the process by which the blood clots or solidifies.

Cochlea (Lat. _cochlea_, a snail sh.e.l.l). The spiral cavity of the internal ear.

Columnae Carneae. 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. ?????, a mussel sh.e.l.l). The sh.e.l.l-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.