An expository lexicon of the terms, ancient and modern, in medical and general science; including a complete medico-legal vocabulary / by R.G. Mayne.
- Mayne, Robert Gray, 1808-1868
- Date:
- 1860
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: An expository lexicon of the terms, ancient and modern, in medical and general science; including a complete medico-legal vocabulary / by R.G. Mayne. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.
26/1540
![Section IV.—Of the Pathological Terms Emprosthotonos, Opisthotonos, ricurothotonos. These tlireo terms have been hitherto presented as nouns masculine, the names of par- ticular forms of spasmodic affection of the muscles. Emprusthntonos the analogue of the afljective inirpoaedTopos, from f/xirpoaeev, before, -reivai, to benil, bent or stretched forwards. Opistholonos is similar, from o-KiaOev, behind, and tciVm, bent backwards. Pleurothotonos is of modern construction in imitntion of the other two, from -nMvpdBev, from the side, and reli/w. All three fall under the same general character. With respect to the first two, their masculine is sometimes used substantively (ciraa/jLhs being understood), and synonymouslj' •with ifiTrpoaOoToi'la and oiriaOoToi'la, or a convulsion of parts forwards and backwards. In Pathology they are the names of diseases, that form of tetanus in which tlie body is bent forwards or Ijackwards.'' In themselves, however, the words bear no allusion to tetanus or any other disease, but have a general signification of bending forwards or backwards. And although in medical parlance they are each made to characterise by an adjective quality, one form of tetanus as distinguislied from others, still the meaning and application are general, and by no means limited to a form of this or any other affection. In Nosological descriptions, these three terms characterise certain varieties of tetanus, or spasmodic disease of the muscles; and it is worthy of remark that another variety, which it has been thought unnecessary to si>ecify, is termed Completus, or complete tetanus. This trivial circumstance goes far to cstaldish the true status of the others under consideration, and throws liglit upon what, with the same necessity for distinctive appellation, was origin- ally intended by the adoption of terms similar to completus in quality and purpose. While it is admitted that the originals of the first two being stated to bo used substantively, gives authority for their like use in Latin and English (a use, indeed, which,by the idiom of both, would have been made of them all without such authority), it presents no ground whatever for converting them into nouns substantive. As in the Greek, the first two are indubitably adjectives; and the third, formed in imitation of those, is the same, and each, like Co»i- plctus, is employed to distinguish a variety of Tetanus, agreeing with it as adjective and substantive. Section V.—Of the Anatomical Term Platysma my aides. This term, applied to the broad muscle of the nock, occupies a false position with reference to its orthography, derivation, and, consequently, the precise meaning attached to it. It is given thus, Piat;/s)»(7-?n7/o(dss (from -n-AaTuj, broad, juuj, a muscle, and €i5oy, re- semblance), a thin muscle on the side of the neck and immediately under the skin'', etc.* No definition of the term itself is attempted, nor any further explanation of its etymology offered, nothing but this abrupt notice of its application ; the signification left to be inferred being,—resembling a broad muscle, or, it might be, broad like a muscle. These do not convey the real meaning. The object to which it is applied is not only like, but actually constittites a broad muscle, which for this very reason is otherwise called by Albinus and Douglas, Latissimus {musculus) colli. By mot e closely examining the constituents of this compound epithet, its true signification will be best ascertained. P?a<2/sma may be easily disposed of. It does not come directly from itXarvs, broad,'' although that is the root of the etymon from which it is immediately derived, viz., irKaTwai, to render full and spacious, or to dilate. It is the analogue of nXaTvafia, which signifies, a broad sheet of linen, or of anything similar, on which a plaster is spread; also, generally that which is extended breadthwise; a dilatation or expansion. Thus, a lamina, or plate of iron, has been called irXdrvcr/jLa aiSripov.+ The words irharvs fivs, which form two of the items of its assigned derivation, are not its etijma, but a definition]; of the epithet itself, simply signifying the broad muscle. -Myaides is to be ranked with terms in -Ides (see Biv. i. s. i). It forms in itself a useful epithet, resembling muscle or flesh, but it is incorrectly employed in Plati/sma-myaides. It is there confounded with another term much like it, but different in its nature. The proper word is Myades (see Biv. i. s. iv.), the analogue of /xvdSris, signifying, pertaining to, having or full of muscle or flesh, fleshy. It is simply a derivative of nvs itself. It is submitted, therefore, that in Platysma-myaides, its assigned etymology and the explanation implied are mistaken, confused, and defective; in that proposed to be restored (for it is the true and original term according to several authorities§), viz., PZatj/snia-mj/oiies, all is clear, and gives a just idea of the object,—the thin, broad, subcutaneous muscle,—or, by literal translation, the musculous or fleshy expansion of the neck. Section VI.—Of the Terms—1. Acidum, Causticum, etc. 2. Ephemera. 3. Narcotics, Antispasmodics, Tonics, etc. 4. Fibrine, Stearine, Salicine, etc. 5. Of the Latin Biphthongs se and oe, and their English Translation. C. Of the Terminal -'icus. 7. Of the Terminal -ismus. 8. Of the Terminal -iga. 9. Of the Term Lambdoidalis, etc. 10. Zygoma. 1. The words Acidum, Causticum, and others like them, have been presented as nouns neuter, an acid, a caustic, etc. No such nouns existed previously to such notification, i Scapula, Gorrfeus, Castellus, Hedericus, etc. II Hooper.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21462124_0026.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
