The People's Common Sense Medical Adviser in Plain English Part 177

SEMILUNAR VALVES. Valves in the heart. See 9 and 17, Fig. 41, page 58.

SEMINAL VESICLES. Reservoirs for the sperm. See Seminal Sac, on page 207.

SEPTIC. That which corrodes or produces putrefaction.

SEPTICaeMIA. Blood-poisoning; usually by absorption.

SEQUEL. That which follows; the condition or malady which follows a disease.

SEROUS. Watery. Pertaining to the serous membrane.

SEROUS TISSUE. The membranes lining the closed cavities of the body, which secrete a watery, lubricating fluid.

SHOCK. Sudden depression of vitality occasioned by injury.

SITZ BATH. See page 367.

SLOUGHING. The process of separating a mortified part from a healthy part, through the agency of pus.

SMELL, NERVES OF. Illus. page 111.

SOLAR PLEXUS. Described on page 104.

SOLVENTS. Those chemicals which break up or dissolve substances.

SORDES. Foul acc.u.mulation on the teeth, noticed in fevers.

SOUND. An instrument for exploring cavities or ca.n.a.ls for diagnosis or treatment.

SPECIALTY. That to which special attention is given.

SPECIFIC GRAVITY. Comparative weight; as between urine and water.

SPECULUM. An instrument for examining cavities. Illus. pages 717 and 718.

SPERM. See s.e.m.e.n.

SPERMATIC CORD. The ma.s.s of arteries, veins, nerves, absorbents and their coverings, which pa.s.ses along the groin and over the pubic bone, to the t.e.s.t.i.c.l.e.

SPERMATORRHEA. Described on page 772.

SPERMATOZOA. More than one Spermatozoon.

SPERMATOZOON. Defined on page 12; Illus. page 13.

SPHINCTERS. Bound muscles which close natural openings.

SPHYGMOGRAPH. An instrument for examining the heart. Illus. page 548.

SPICULA. A small pointed piece of bone.

SPINAL COLUMN. The twenty-four bones, which, situated one above the other, form the backbone.

SPINAL CORD. Described on page 90.

SPIROMETER. A gauge of chest capacity. Illus. page 392.

SPONGE TENT. Compressed, dried sponge previously treated with Gum Arabic, used for dilating the uterine ca.n.a.l.

SPORADIC, SPORADICALLY. A term for diseases which appear frequently, independent of epidemic or contagious influences.

SPRAIN. A straining or rupture of the fibrous parts of a joint.

STAPHYLOMA. Protrusion of the eye, sometimes with loss of sight.

STERILITY. Barrenness. Inability to bear children.

STERNUM. The breast-bone.

STETHOSCOPE. An instrument for examining the heart and lungs.

STIMULANTS. Medicines which increase the vital activity of the body.

STOOL. Evacuations of the bowels. Dung.

STRABISMUS. Cross-eyes.

STRANGULATED. Caught or fastened in the hernial ca.n.a.l.

STRIATED. Grooved or striped.

STRICTURE. A contracted condition of a ca.n.a.l or pa.s.sage; of the food-pipe, r.e.c.t.u.m, urethra, etc.

STRUCTURAL. Belonging to the arrangements of tissues or organs.

STRUMOUS. Scrofulous.

STUPOR. Great diminution of sensibility.

STYE. A little boil on the eyelid.

STYPTIC. An external astringent wash.

SUB-ACUTE. A moderate form of acute.

SUDORIFEROUS GLANDS. Minute organs in the skin, which secrete the perspiration. Illus. page 70.

SUPPORTERS (UTERINE). Instruments intended to hold the womb in its natural position.