A comprehensive medical dictionary : With an appendix, comprising a complete list of all the more important articles of the materia medica ... with the necessary directions for writing Latin prescriptions, etc., etc. / By J. Thomas.

  • Thomas, Joseph, 1811-1891.
Date:
1877
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A comprehensive medical dictionary : With an appendix, comprising a complete list of all the more important articles of the materia medica ... with the necessary directions for writing Latin prescriptions, etc., etc. / By J. Thomas. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    exhibits a degree of accuracy, as well as judgment, unsurpassed, if not unequalled, among scientific works of reference. Those who take a particular interest in such subjects are re- ferred to the Table of Disputed Pronunciations (see Appendix, pp. 698-9), containing a list of the most important terms occurring in medical works, respecting the accentuation of which there is a difference among the best orthoepical authorities.* Respecting the plan of the Dictionary, it may be observed that immediately after the term itself, if this be English, is inserted the Latin synonym, then the etymology, both being enclosed in brackets. If the term be Latin, it is immediately followed by the etymology, enclosed in brackets. (Compare Ablactation, Apoplexy, Artery; also, Abdomen, Ablepsia, etc.) The French synonyms of important medical terms are also given, excepting such as are essentially the same as the English or Latin : for example, Ablacta- tion (ablactation'), Bandage (a bandage), Uterus (the ute- rus?>), etc.; or such as differ only very slightly, as Apoplexie ( apoplexy), Artere ( artery), Hepatite (hepatitis), CEsophage ( oesophagus), etc. As these would, for the most part, be readily understood without a dictionary, they have generally been omitted. By adopting this plan, the attention of the student is particularly directed to those French terms which it is most important for him to acquire; that is, to such as are essentially different from the Latin or English, and therefore not likely to be understood unless explained. Of this class of words the following examples may be given:—Coeur (heart), Clou (clove), Cou (neck), Main (hand), GEW(eye), Poumons (lungs), Toux ( cough), etc. A considerable portion of the Appendix is occupied with the * In speaking of authorities in regard to questions of this kind, we do not, of course, allude to those persons, however illustrious, who are merely distinguished for their scientific attainments or for their general learning, but to such only as have paid particular attention to the subject of orthoepy. It is not to be denied that some, who are justly regarded as ornaments of science, either from never having given any attention to such subjects, or from mere carelessness, are most untrustworthy guides in all that relates to correctness of language, whether written or spoken. They seem to forget that thoughts are like jewels: the greater their value, the more important it is that they should be well set, that their beauty may be exhibited to the best advantage.