GLOSSARY

ague An old fashioned term for any disease causing a fever

ailment An illness that is not serious

amputation The removal of a limb by surgery

anaesthetic A drug or drugs given to produce unconsciousness before and during surgery

anatomy The science of understanding the structure and make-up of the body

antibodies A group of drugs used to treat infections caused by bacteria, e.g. penicillin

antisepsis The prevention of infection by stopping the growth of bacteria by the use of antiseptics

antiseptic Chemicals used to destroy bacteria and prevent infection

apothecary A pharmacist or chemist

artery Blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart

arthritis The painful swelling of joints

astrology The study of the planets and how they might influence the lives of people

bacterium (bacteria) See germ

Black Death A phrase used in the Middle Ages to describe bubonic plague. (The ‘blackness’ was caused by bleeding under the skin. Over 50 per cent of all cases were fatal)

bleeding The treatment of opening a vein or applying leeches to draw blood from the patient. Also means the loss of blood caused by damage to the blood vessels

cell The basic unit of life which makes up the bodies of plants, animals and humans. Billions of cells are contained in the human body

cesspool pit A place for collecting and storing sewage

chirurgery chirurgeons Surgery/surgeons

chloroform A liquid whose vapour acts as an anaesthetic and produces unconsciousness

consumption/consumptive fever Tuberculosis which was observed as the wasting away of the body

contagion The passing of disease from one person to another

contaminated/contamination Something that is infected

coronary Referring to the blood vessels around the heart (coronary thrombosis, a blood clot in the coronary artery)

culture The growth of micro-organisms in the laboratory

diarrhoea A symptom of a disease, frequent, fluid bowel movements

dissection The cutting up and examination of a body

DNA, Deoxyribonucleic acid, The molecule that genes are made of. (see gene below)

dropsy An old-fashioned term used to describe fluid collection in the body, often used to account for death

dysentery A severe infection causing frequent, fluid bowel movements

effuvia/effuvial Unpleasant smells from waste matter. Blamed for disease in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries

endoscope An instrument used to view inside the body

faeces Waste material from the stomach and digestive system

flux A Watery discharge or diarrhoea

foetus A Baby before it is born

gangrene (gas gangrene) The infection of dead tissue causing, in the case of gas gangrene, foul smelling gas

gene Part of the nucleus of a cell that determines how our bodies look and work. Genes are passed from parents to children

genetic Engineering the investigation of genes and how they can be used to change how the body works

germ A micro-organism that causes disease

germ theory The theory that germs cause disease, often by infection through the air

Health Authority The people controlling NHS health care in the regions

high-tech surgery Surgery using the most modern techniques, including computers, new skills and new drugs

Hippocratic Oath The principles by which doctors work, for the best health of the patient and to do no harm, named after the Ancient Greek Hippocrates who wrote it

immune Protected against a disease immunise the process of giving protection from disease through the body’s own immune system

Immunity Protection against disease through the body’s own defences or immune system

infection The formation of disease causing germs or micro-organisms

infirmary A place where the sick are treated, a hospital

Inoculation Putting a low dose of a disease into the body to help it fight against a more serious attack of the disease

King’s Evil See scrofula

laissez—faire Belief that governments should not interfere in people’s lives. It prevented public health schemes getting going in the nineteenth century

leeches A bloodsucking worm used to drain blood from a wound

leper Someone suffering from leprosy, an infection that causes damage to the nerves and skin

ligament Tough elastic tissue that holds joints of the body together

ligatures A thread used to tie a blood vessel during an operation

maternity Concerning motherhood and looking after children

medical officer A person appointed to look after the public health of an area

melancholy Part of the theory of four humours, brought on by excess of gloominess

meningitis Inflammation of the brain caused by an infection by micro-organisms, a virus or bacterium

miasma Smells from decomposing material that were believed to cause disease

microbe Another name for a micro-organism

micro-organism A tiny single-celled living organism too small to be seen by the naked eye. Disease-causing micro-organisms are called bacteria

osteoarthritis See arthritis

parasites Animals that live on or in other animals

penicillin The first antibiotic drug produced from the mould penicillium to treat infections

physic A medicine or the skill of healing physician a doctor of medicine who trained at university

physiology The study of how the body works

plague A serious infectious disease spread to humans by fleas from rats and mice

pneumonia The inflammation of the lungs due to an infection

Poor Law Commission Three commissioners who controlled the work of parishes which provided help for the poor. They were influential in public health reforms

pre-industrial Before the industrial revolution of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries

prognosis Medical judgement about the probable course and result of a disease

public health Refers to the well being of the whole community

pus A pale yellow or green fluid found where there is an infection

putrid Decomposing

quack A person who falsely claims to have medical ability or qualifications

quinine The drug treatment for malaria

remedy A drug or treatment that cures or controls the symptoms of a disease

rheumatism A term describing stiffness in muscles or joints

rickets A disease caused by a poor diet resulting In a misshapen skeleton

sanatorium A place where people who are chronically (very) ill can he cared for

scrofula Sometimes known as the King’s Evil. It is tuberculosis of a gland in the neck. At one time it was believed that being touched by the king could cure the disease

septicaemia Blood poisoning caused by the spread of bacteria from an infected area

sinew A tendon or fibrous cord that joins a muscle to a bone

spontaneous Generation the theory that decaying matter turns into germs

staphylococci Bacteria found on the skin that can cause infection if the bacteria become trapped

sterilise To destroy all living micro-organisms from surfaces and surgical instruments, e.g. on a scalpel before an operation

Sulphonamide An antibacterial drug used to treat bronchitis and pneumonia

supernatural Something that cannot be given an ordinary explanation

superstition An unreasonable belief based on ignorance and sometimes fear

suppuration The formation and/or discharge of pus

suture The closing of a cut or wound by the use of stitches (sutures)

thalidomide A drug to help morning sickness that was withdrawn in 1961 after it was found to cause limb deformities in babies born to women who had taken it

therapy The treatment of a physical or mental disease

transfusion The use of blood given by one person to another when a patient has suffered severe blood loss

trepanning The drilling of a hole In the skull

tumour Aswelling caused by cells reproducing at an increased rate. An abnormal growth of cells which may or may not be cancerous

ulcer An open sore on the skin unpasteurised food or drink that has not been pasteurised. Pasteurisation is a process of heating which destroys harmful bacteria

vaccination The injection into the body of killed or weakened organisms to give the body resistance against disease

virus A tiny micro-organism, smaller than bacteria, responsible for infections such as colds, flu, polio and chicken pox

wise woman A person believed to be skilled in magic or local customs

witch/witchcraft A person who practises magic and is believed to have dealings with evil spirits

worms An infestation where worms live as parasites in the human body