Body: | Historical Encyclopedia Of Psychiatry
Dictionary Of Historic Mental Illness
Archaic medical terms related to mad doctoring of the 1700's.
These are terms from the 1600-1900 that were used in medical and mental
health discussions
Click to View See also: History of Psychiatry homepage
Ab Extra
from outside.
Adustion
the state of being adust, or excessively dry.
Affidavit
a written statement sworn by a deponent for a judge, from the Latin affidare, to declare on oath.
Aloes
a bitter purgative derived from the aloe plant.
Alterative
any medicine intended to produce alteration, particularly in the processes of nutrition.
Anodyne
any medicine intended to alleviate pain.
Antiphlogistic
any medicine intended to counteract inflammation.
Aorta
the main artery of the system, descending from the left ventricle of the heart.
Apoplexy
a stroke.
Black hellebore
Helleborus officianalis, which is drastically cathartic, was formerly regarded as a specific in mental illness. It is native to Greece and Asia Minor, but was especially associated with the town of Anticyra on the Greek coast near Delphi.
Blackmore
a black person. Also blackamoor.
Bubo
an enlargement of lymphatic glands, especially in the groin, where it is a feature of the ulcerous venereal condition called chancroid, or soft sore.
Cachexy
a generally depraved state of bodily health.
Calomel
mercurous chloride, in common use as a purgative.
Camlet
a costly eastern fabric originally associated with camel hair, though later applied to cheaper substitutes.
Canary
a sweet light wine from the Canary islands.
Carduus
Carduus benedictus, the blessed or holy thistle.
Cassia
a laxative derived from cassia pods.
Cataplasm
a poultice, the application to the skin of muslin dressed with a hot gruel, made from bran, bread or meal and boiling water.
Cathartic
a purgative medicine, more fierce in operation than a laxative but less violent than a drastic purge.
Caustic
any substance that burns living tissue on contact.
Cerebellum/Cerebel
the little or hinder brain, which lies behind the cerebrum. Its chief functions are co-ordination of fine voluntary movements and posture.
Chariot
a light four-wheeled horse-drawn vehicle, kept for private use.
Chimera
a monstrous mythological creature, and subsequently any wild or extravagant fancy.
Chip
wood or woody fibre split into thin strips for making hats.
Choler
bile, the fluid secreted by the liver and formerly supposed to be one of the four humours governing body and temper hence choleric, of an irritable, irascible disposition.
Clyster
medicinal preparation injected into the rectum with a syringe and intended to act as an enema.
Confluent
a rash or spots running together into a single mass.
Conventicle
a meeting or meeting-house, especially of a religious and possibly illegal kind.
Copula
a joining together, a connection.
Cordial
a stimulating preparation, usually a drink, intended to act on the heart and circulation.
Cortex/Cortical
the external structures of a bodily organ, or pertaining to these.
Costive
constipated.
Cupping-Glass
a glass cup in which the air is heated prior to its being applied to a scratched area of skin, the object being to draw blood.
Decoction
a medicinal preparation in which the ingredient is boiled until the water reduces.
Deobstruent
any substance intended to open the passages and pores of the body and thereby remove obstructions.
Diaphoretic
any substance intended to encourage perspiration.
Diuretic
any substance that promotes the expulsion of urine.
Drachm
a weight originally equal to the weight of the ancient Greek coin, the drachma, now resolved at one sixteenth of an ounce.
Drench
large doses of medicine, forcibly given.
Duodenum
the first portion of the small intestine, immediately below the stomach.
Dura Mater
the hard outer membrane enclosing the brain and spinal cord, from the Latin for 'hard mother'.
Election
the doctrine that holds some individuals to be unalterably chosen by God for salvation.
Emetic
any medicine intended to induce vomiting.
Emunctory
to do with the conveyance of waste matter from the body.
Enthusiasm
exaggerated or inspired religious belief or fervour.
Errhine
any medicine, sniffed or inserted into the nose, designed to produce discharge or sneezing.
Erysipelas
St Anthony's Fire, a feverish condition accompanied by inflammation of the skin.
Exostosis
the formation of bone or of a bony tumour upon another bone or structure of the body.
Experimental
based on or derived from experience.
Extravasate
to force or let blood out from its proper vessel.
Feculency
foulness, being polluted by dregs, scum or faeces.
Fetids
drugs having an offensive smell.
Fibril
the subdivision of a fibre in a muscle or nerve.
Flannels
garments made of the loose-textured woollen stuff known as flannel.
Fluxion
the act of flowing, including any excessive flow to an organ of the body.
Flying-Post
a post travelling by relays of horses.
Fomentation
application to the skin of cloths soaked in hot or warm water.
Glyster
same as clyster.
Green Tea
tea that has been roasted straight after gathering, often artificially coloured.
Gruel
a thin liquid food made from oatmeal boiled in milk or water.
Gums
gum secreted from certain trees and shrubs, soluble in water and used medicinally.
Hackney-Coach
a four-wheeled coach, drawn by two horses and able to carry six people.
Hiera Picra
a purgative made from aloes and canella bark, sometimes mixed with honey.
Hypochondres
the left and right sides of the upper abdomen, just below the ribs.
Hypostasis
the substance, basis or essence of a thing.
Ichor
thin, acrid discharge from some wounds or sores.
Idiopathic
characteristic of a primary disease, and therefore not consequent upon any other.
Inappetency
without desire or longing.
Induration
hardening.
Integument
a covering.
Intropression
pressure directed inwards.
Ipecacuanha
root of the South American shrub, having a range of purgative properties. Ipecacuanha wine involves infusing the root in wine.
Irrefragable
obstinate, inflexible.
Issue
an incision or artificial ulcer kept from healing in order to allow discharge of blood or other fluid from the body.
Latex
the watery part of the blood, from the Latin for 'liquid'.
Laudanum
formerly any preparation including a large proportion of opium, though now referring to tincture of opium. z
Long list
The 'long list' would be those patients regarded as incurable.
Magnesia Alba
white manganese, or hydrated magnesium carbonate, cathartic medicine.
Manna
a laxative derived from the Manna ash tree.
Meatus Auditorius
the channel of the ear.
Medullar
pertaining to the medulla, or 'medulla oblongata', which is the upper part of the spinal cord. It also refers td spinal marrow and to the marrow of the bones generally.
Mittimus
a warrant, from the Latin for 'we send', for holding a named individual in custody.
Mortification
the death of tissues.
Mould
the top of the head.
Nitre
potassium nitrate (saltpetre); also a supposed nitrous element in the air.
Nosology
the listing or classifying of diseases.
Oedema
swelling caused by infiltration of water into tissues. Dropsy.
Opiate
a medicinal preparation involving opium and intended to induce sleep.
Ordinary
a daily meal served by a tavern at a fixed price.
Palpebra
an eyelid.
Parenchyma
the parts of a bodily organ that are concerned with its function, as opposed to connective tissue or flesh.
Pathogonomic
a symptom specifically characteristic of a particular disease.
Pellucid
transparent.
Pendente Lite
while the lawsuit is pending.
Pericranium
the membrane enveloping the skull, though formerly also simply the brain.
Peripneumony
pneumonia.
Phlebotomy
the opening of a vein in order to let blood.
Phlegm
mucus secreted in the respiratory passages and formerly regarded as one of the four humours governing the body and disposition hence, phlegmatic, of a cold, dull or even temper.
Phrenitis
inflammation of the brain.
Pia Mater
the delicate inner membrane covering the brain and spinal cord, from the Latin for 'tender mother'.
Plethoric
characterised by excessive fullness.
Pleurisy
the inflammation of the pleura, the thin membrane covering the surface of the lungs.
Plexus Choroides
network of nerves and vessels connecting the eye to the brain.
Poignancy
sharpness or piquancy.
Porringer
a small basin.
Gravity
corrupt or evil quality, now superseded by 'depravity'.
Preternatural
above or beyond the normal course of nature.
Ptyalism
excessive secretion of saliva.
Pulmonary
pertaining to disease of the lungs.
Quinquina
the bark of cinchona trees, producing quinine.
Recrement
superfluous or waste product of an animal or plant system.
Reprobation
the doctrine that holds certain individuals to be unalterably chosen by God for perpetual damnation.
Rheum
an excessive secretion of liquid from the eyes, nose or mouth.
Salivation
treatment that involves stimulating the excessive production of saliva, usually by the administration of mercury.
Sanguine
relating to blood and formerly regarded as one of the four humours governing the body and temper hence, of an optimistic, courageous and amorous disposition.
Scapula
the shoulder-blade.
Scorbutic
relating to scurvy.
Sensorium
the percipient focus of sense-impressions in the brain.
Seton
a thread or tape drawn through the skin to allow discharge and prevent healing.
Sinapism
a poultice made from mustard flour.
Sizy
thick and glutinous.
Solutive
a laxative.
Sordes
foul matter collecting in or on the body.
Spoon-Meat
soft or liquid food to be taken with a spoon by invalids.
Stickle
to stand up for, to strive or contend on behalf of.
Stone
a calculus or small stone that has developed within the body's secretion system, usually the bladder or kidneys.
Subdolous
cunning.
Sudorific
any medicine intended to induce perspiration.
Suppurate
to form or secrete pus.
Systasis
an alliance, synthesis or collection.
Tartar
an emetic comprising antimony and potassium tartrate.
Tester
a canopy over a bed, supported either by bed-posts or from the ceiling.
Thorax
the organs of the chest.
Tick
linen or cotton covering for the feathers or flock of a mattress.
Tincture
essential principle of a substance suspended in alcohol.
Tissick
a corruption of `phthisic', a wasting lung disease, though the term also referred to asthma or a severe cough.
Toast
a toasted slice of bread steeped in water or other liquid and used, generally, as a drink for invalids.
Tormina
acute griping or wringing pains in the bowels.
Tow
fibrous material used as wadding in a pistol.
Trachea
the windpipe.
Tunica Arachnoides
delicate membrane enveloping the brain and spinal cord, lying between the pia mater and the dura mater.
Unctuous
oily, or involving ointment.
Vapours
depression of spirits supposed to arise from the presence of exhalations within the bodily organs.
Vellicate
to irritate, tickle or twitch.
Venery
sexual pleasure.
Venesection
the operation of opening a vein to let blood.
Ventricle
one of usually four cavities in the adult brain.
Vesicatory
any application intended to raise blisters on the skin.
Vesicle
a small cavity or sac covered by a membrane.
Viscera
the internal organs of the body.
Vitriol
a sulphate of metal used medicinally, especially sulphate of iron; oil of vitriol is concentrated sulphuric acid.
Volatiles
substances liable to evaporate or diffuse at ordinary temperatures, especially volatile salts, such as sal volatile, a solution of ammonia.
Wool-Stapler
someone who buys wool from the producer and sells it on, graded for quality, to the manufacturer.
Sources for this include
See also: History of Psychiatry homepage
By Steve Rudd: Contact the author for comments, input or corrections.
Send us your story about your experience with modern Psychiatry
Click to View
Go To Start: WWW.BIBLE.CA
|