Glossary – Collect Medical Antiques — by Robert Greenspan – HOMÉOPATHE INTERNATIONAL

Extract from

by Robert Greenspan, MD

Extract from www.collectmedicalantiques.com

GLOSSARY

The names of most
antique medical instruments suggest their function, but some require
definition. Each term is
accompanied by a pictured “generic” instrument, though
manufacturers often produced these instruments in a variety of forms.

Bistoury: A long, narrow knife with a straight or curved
blade for opening cavities. (F. bistouri, dagger)

A bistoury cache is a
spring loaded, double bladed instrument used in Urology.
Bougie: A cylindrical instrument used for dilating tubular
organs, such as the urethra or
esophagus.
(F. Bougie, an Algerian seaport from which candles were imported).
Catlin: A long, double-edged knife, often used in
amputations.
Cephalotribe: Forcepslike
instrument with a screw handle, used to crush the head in fetal
abortion.
(G. kephale, the head + G. tribo,
to bruise).
Counterirritant: A substance or device that irritates one area of
the body presumably to relieve pain in
another part.
Cranioclast: A strong forceps used for crushing and extracting
the fetal head after perforation.
(G.
kranion, skull + G. klao, to break in pieces).
Crochet: A hooked instrument used for removing an aborted
fetus. (F. croche, hook).

Clyster (clysis): An enema used for rectal administration of
medications. (G. klyster, to
wash out).
Cupping (wet and dry): The act of applying a heated cup to bring blood to
the skin to act as a
counterirritant
(dry), or to bleed (wet).
Dental Key: A key shaped instrument used to remove teeth.
Diathermy: Local elevation of temperature of tissues by high
frequency current, ultrasonic waves,
or
microwave radiation for therapy. (G.
dia, through, + therme, heat).
Ecraseur: Instrument used to crush tissue. (F. ecraser, to crush).
Electrostatic Generator: A therapeutic device that creates static
electricity.
Elevator (dental or neurosurgical): An
instrument used to lift a tooth or piece of bone.
(L. e-levo, to lift up)

Etui: A small pocket case for instruments. (F. estuier, to preserve).
Fleam: A sharp lancet for bloodletting. (G. phleb, vein + tomon, to
cut).
Forceps
(bullet, dental, lithotomy, obstetric): An
instrument to grasp a structure, for compression or
traction. (L. formus, hot + ceps, to take).
Gorget: A director or guide with a wide groove used in
lithotomy. (ME. gorge, throat)
Hey’s Saw: Neurosurgical instrument for removal of a section
of the skull. (Dr. William Hey)
Ivorine: A trademark substance resembling ivory.
Lancet (gum, spring, thumb): A surgical knife with a short, wide, two-edged
blade. (F. lancette)
Lenticular: Neurosurgical instrument used to elevate fragments
of skull. (L. lenticula, a
lentil)

Lithoclast
(lithotrite): An
instrument used to crush a urinary stone. (G. lithos, stone + G. klastos,
broken or L. Tritus, to rub).

Ophthalmoscope: A device for studying
the interior of the eye through the pupil. (G. ophthalmos

relationship to the eye
+ G. skopeo, to examine).

Otoscope: An instrument for examining the eardrum. (G. ous, ear + G. skopea, to view).

…otomy
(G. tomos,
cutting) – craniotomy (G. kranion, skull), lithotomy (G. lithos,
stone).

Ozone Generator: A form of oxygen (O3) that is produced by a static
charge and was thought to have
health benefits. (G. ozein, to
smell)

Papboat: A boat-shaped dish used to hold pap (a soft
food for infants). (L. pappa, food)

Percussor:
A small hammer used to tap part of the body in
order to determine density.
(L. percussio, to beat).

Perforator: An obstetric instrument for making a bony opening
through the cranium in abortion.
(L.
perforare, to bore through).
Phrenology: The
appearance of the skull reflects enlargements of parts of the brain, and
thus character
– according to FJ Gall. (L. phren, mind)
Physiognomy: The study of personality by appearance. (G. physi, nature + gnomon, interpreter).
Pleximeter: An oblong plate placed on the body and struck with
a percussor.
(G. plesso,
to strike, + metron, measure)
Probang: A flexible rod with a soft tip to advance or
retrieve an esophageal foreign body.
(from provang, by inventor Walter
Rumsey)
Pessary: An appliance introduced into the vagina to support
the uterus.
(L. pessarium,
from G. pessos,
an oval stone used in certain games).
Scalpel: A knife used in surgical dissection. (L. scalprum, a knife)
Scarificator: An instrument for making multiple superficial
incisions in the skin for wet cupping.
(L. scarifico,
to sctatch).
Shagreen: A dyed, untanned
leather or sharkskin used for etuis or lancet cases.

Sound: An elongated, cylindrical instrument, used for
exploring, dilating, or detecting a foreign body
in a cavity or canal (usually urethra, or
esophagus).
Speculum: An instrument for
opening a canal or cavity for inspection.
(L. a mirror, from specio, to look at)
Styptic: A device or instrument to stop bleeding (L. stypticus, to
contract)
Tenaculum: A hooked instrument used to hold a vessel that is
to be tied off. (L. teneo, to
hold)
…tome (G. tomos, cutting)
– rachitome (G. rachis, spine), tonsillotome (L.
tonsilla),

urethretome (G. ourethra).
Tortoise Shell:

Horny (or artificial) plate from a turtle that was
used in 19^th century instruments.
Trepan: A large brace with a bit for boring a hole in the
cranium (also a verb). (G. trypanon, auger)

Trephine:
A “T” shaped instrument used for removing a
disk of bone, usually from the skull, also a verb.
(L. tres fines, three ends)

Trocar:
A sharp instrument with a three cornered tip that
fits into a cannula, used to remove fluid from
a cavity. (F. trocart, from trois, three, + carre, side of a sword blade).

Vectis: A single bladed curved instrument used to aid in
delivery. (L. a lever or bar)

Venesection: Therapeutic
bleeding. (L. vena, vein + sectio, a cuttng).

Abbreviations — G (Greek), F (French),
L (Latin), ME (Middle English),

REFERENCES:

Gove,PB, ed., Webster’s Third New International Dictionary,

Springfield, MA, Merriam-Webster, Inc.,1993.

Stedman, TL, Stedman’s Medical Dictionary,

27^th Edition, Philadelphia, Lippincott Williams &
Wilkins, 1999.

EARLY TERMS FOR DISEASES

Ague: intermittent
chills and fever (as in malaria).
Apoplexy: sudden paralysis, perhaps by stroke, or bleed into
the brain or other organ.
Black Death: bubonic
plague.
Bright’s Disease: kidney
disease which is accompanied by fluid retention and often kidney
failure (described by Sir Richard
Bright).
Catamenia: menstruation.
Cataplexy: “shock” by fright.
Catarrh: upper respiratory tract infection, mucous.
Cholera: any infectious disease that is epidemic.
Clap, Drip: gonorrhea.
Consumption: tuberculosis.
Dropsy: fluid
retention (from heart, liver, or kidney disease).
Dystocia: difficult
delivery.
Falling Sickness: epilepsy.
French (or great) Pox, Lues: syphilis.
Furuncle: boil.
Gleet: chronic
gonorrhea.
Grippe: influenza.
Humor: any
secreted bodily fluid.
Hydrophobia: rabies
(with apparent “fear of water”).
King’s Evil: scrofula,
or tuberculosis of the lymph nodes in the neck.
Laudable Pus: purulent discharge from a wound — thought to be a
good sign.
“Mad as a Hatter”: mental changes from mercury poisoning (formerly
used by hat makers).
Mania: insanity.
Miasma: “diseased”
air that causes illness.
Oedema (edema): fluid
retention and swelling.
Palsy: difficulty
in muscular control.
Physik: medication,
or the Practice of Medicine (G. physikos,
natural or physical).
Piles: hemorrhoids.
Quinsy:
tonsillar abscess.
Shaking Palsy: Parkinson’s
disease.
Spermatorrhea (Onanism):
nocturnal discharge, masturbation.
Tokology: the
study of women’s diseases.

Copyright 2001

Robert Greenspan, MD
Contact me

© Homéopathe International

EARLY TERMS FOR DISEASES

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