A

Abrus (Gr. abros, pretty), Indian liquorice, the seeds of Abrus precatorius or wild liquorice.

Abscess (Lat. abscessus, a separation of matter), a collection of pus in some of the organs or parts of the body, the result of local inflammation.

Absorbent (Lat. absorbere, to suck in), a drug or medicine that produces absorption of diseased tissue.

Acetabulum (Lat., a small cup), the cavity into which the head of the femur or thigh-bone fits and in which it moves.

Actinomyces (Gr. aktis, a ray, and mykes, mushroom), a rayed fungus.

Acute (Lat. acutus, sharp), pertaining to disease having a rapid and severe onset, progress, and termination.

Adenoid (Gr. aden, gland, and cidos, appearance), resembling a gland.

Aestrum (Gr. oistros, gadfly), the heat or rut of animals; the sensation occurring at the time of coition.

Afferent (Lat. afferens, carrying to), carrying something to a centre ; hence, applied to those nerves which conduct influences to the central nervous system.

Ala (Lat., a wing), a name of various wing-shaped parts.

Alveolus (Lat.), the bony socket of a tooth.

Amaurosis (Gr. amauros, dark), partial or total loss of vision.

Amide (ammonia), a white crystalline solid often capable of combining with both acids and bases.

Amphiarthrosis (Gr. amphi, around, and arthron, a joint), a joint in which there is a disc of fibro-cartilage between the ends of the bones; it enjoys a limited movement.

Amylolytic (Gr. amylon, starch, and lusts, solution), effecting the digestion of starch.

Amylopsin (Gr. amyIon, starch, and opsis, appear-ance), a ferment said to exist in pancreatin.

Anaemia (Gr. an, priv., and haima, blood), deficiency or thinness of blood.

Anaesthesia (Gr. anaisthesia), want of feeling, a nervous disease.

Anaesthetic (Gr. an, priv., and aisthesis, feeling), a substance that produces insensibility to feeling or acute pain.

Anchylosis, Ankylosis (Gr. ankylos, a stiff joint), union of the bones forming a joint, resulting in a stiff joint.

Aneurism (Gr. aneurysma, widening), a dilatation or widening in the course of an artery.

Animalcule (Lat. animalculum, a minute animal), a microscopic animal.

Anodyne (Gr. an, priv., and odyne, pain), a medicine that relieves pain.

Anthrax (Gr. anthrax, a coal, or carbuncle), a fata) disease due to the bacillus of anthrax.

Antidote (Gr. anti, against, and didomi, to give), a drug that prevents or counteracts the action of poisons.

Antipyretic (Gr. anti, against, and pyretos, fever), an agent which reduces the temperature in fever.

Antiseptic (Gr. anti, against, and septos, putrid), an agent which prevents putrefaction.

Antispasmodic (Gr. anti, against, and spasmos, a spasm), an agent that relieves spasm.

Anus (Lat.), the fundament, the posterior opening of the large bowel.

Aorta (Gr. aorte), the largest artery of the body. It arises from the heart, and divides into the anterior and posterior aorta.

Aphthae (Gr. aphthai, an eruption), small white spots or vesicles occurring in the mouth, more especially seen in young animals.

Aponeurotic (Gr. apo, from, neuron, tendon), pertaining to a broad fibrous membrane or tendon proceeding from a muscle, or used to bind down tendons.

Apophysis (Gr. apo, from, and physis. growth), a process of bone produced from a separate centre of growth.

Apoplexy (Gr. apoplexia, a striking down), loss of consciousness from breakage of vessels in the brain.

Aqueduct (Lat. aqua, water; ductus, a leading), applied to ducts and canals in various parts of the body.

Arthrodia (Gr. arthrodia, a kind of joint), a joint permitting a gliding movement.

Ascites (Gr. askites, a kind of dropsy; askos, a bag), an abnormal accumulation of serous fluid in the cavity of the belly; dropsy of the belly.

Ascococcus (Gr. askos, a leather bag; kokkos, a kernel), micro-organisms made up of round colonies, surrounded by tough, thick, gelatinous envelopes.

Aseptic (Gr. a, priv., and septos, putrid), free from pathogenic bacteria or septic matter.

Aspergillus (Lat. aspergere, to scatter), a genus of fungi.

Asphyxia (Gr. a, priv., and sphyxis, the pulse), suffocation, the effect produced by depriving the lungs of air.

Assimilation (Lat. assimilare, to make like), the transformation of food into a condition in which it may be used up in the nutrition of the body.

Astragalus (Gr. astragalos, a die), the bone upon which the tibia rests.

Astringent (Lat. ad, to; stringere, to bind), an agent which, by contracting organic tissue, arrests haemorrhage or diarrhoea.

Atavism (Lat. atavus, a forefather), the reappearance of an anomaly in an individual whose more or less remote progenitors were similarly affected, but in whose immediate ancestors it had not been shown.

Atlas (from the fabulous Atlas that supported the earth), the first bone of the cervical or neck vertebrae, supporting the head.

Atrophy (Gr. atrophia, want of nourishment), loss of weight, size, and function of an organ.

Auricle (Lat. auricula, the outer ear), the name for the two superior cavities of the heart.

B

Bacillus (Lat. bacillum, a small rod), a name for various microscopic organisms or microbes of a rodlike form, some of them associated with certain diseases.

Bacterium (Gr. bakterion, a little stick), a genus of short cylindrical fission fungi; a bacillus. See above.

Basilar (Gr. basis, base), pertaining to the base, usually of the skull.

Biceps (Lat. bis, twice; caput, the head), a term applied to several two-headed muscles.

Bicipital (Lat. bi, two; caput, the head), pertaining to the biceps muscle.

Biologist (Gr. bios, life, and logos, discourse), one who is a student of life forms.

Bishoping, the act of carving a cavity in the crown of a tooth and making it black by heat, for the purpose of making an old horse appear young.