Glossary of Traditional Western Medical Terms
Below is a brief list of medical terms applying to Medicine, Pharmacology and Chemistry. While some of the words themselves are familiar, their traditional meanings may be different. For example, ‘Diabetes’ traditionally means to urinate constantly.
Abstersive–Detergent; The qualities of cleansing and purging, or washing away the impurities, especially of ulcers and wounds. It signifies a binding quality, and was said to ‘straighten the Pores and Passages of the Body’.
Adust–When excess heat damages the thinner parts of the blood, and the heavy part remains ‘black and dreggy’, the Blood was said to be adust. This especially happens in Fevers where the heat ‘evaporates’ the thinner parts of the blood.
Alembic–Arabic name for a Still.
Alexipharmic–a medicine used in the prevention or treatment of Poisons and noxious influences including Infectious Diseases; used to prevent sickness and preserve health.
Aperient–Mild laxative.
Apophlegmatismus–a medicine, (usually gargled) which helps clear the head of phlegm through salivation.
Apostume, Apostem–Impostume, abscess.
Apozema–a decoction made by boiling ingredients in any liquor.
Atrophy–‘want of Nourishment; when the body pines away’. (Salmon)
Balneo (-eum)–a bath; see BM.
Balneo Mariae–see BM.
B.M.–Balneo Maria, the Marian Bath. A vessel to digest or distill in; it is a vessel of water with a heat source underneath in which another vessel sits; into this vessel may be put herbs and other medicines to be digested or distilled. This has the advantage of not allowing the medicine to be heated above 100 degrees centigrade. It is said to be named after ‘Mary the Jewess’ who is said to have been first to use it.
Bechica–medicines which ease coughs and expectorate.
Cachexia–A non–specific term for general wasting or poor health, or to those who are malnourished. Paracelsus said the nutriment turns to Evil Humors.
Cacochymical–‘a body which is replete or abounds with many evil humours’. (Salmon)
Capsula–the cover or head of any vessel, still or furnace.
Caput Mortum–it ‘is the matter which remains at the bottom of the Stillatory, thick and dry, chiefly from Minerals; but when it is named alone, it is only intended that of Vitriol’ (Salmon); it may also signify the non soluble salt left after the soluble salts are dissolved in Spagyric tinctures and Alchemical preparations.
Cardialgia–Heart burn
Caries–Foulness, Rottenness, or Corruption of a Bone or Tooth.
Cephalalgia–a type of headache which affects the whole head which may be acute or chronic, mild or severe.
Cephalaea–intolerable Headache or Migraine which weakens all the powers of the Head. There may be violent pain, throbbing in the head, noises of the ears and bulging of all the veins in the head.
Abstersive–Detergent; The qualities of cleansing and purging, or washing away the impurities, especially of ulcers and wounds. It signifies a binding quality, and was said to ‘straighten the Pores and Passages of the Body’.
Adust–When excess heat damages the thinner parts of the blood, and the heavy part remains ‘black and dreggy’, the Blood was said to be adust. This especially happens in Fevers where the heat ‘evaporates’ the thinner parts of the blood.
Alembic–Arabic name for a Still.
Alexipharmic–a medicine used in the prevention or treatment of Poisons and noxious influences including Infectious Diseases; used to prevent sickness and preserve health.
Aperient–Mild laxative.
Apophlegmatismus–a medicine, (usually gargled) which helps clear the head of phlegm through salivation.
Apostume, Apostem–Impostume, abscess.
Apozema–a decoction made by boiling ingredients in any liquor.
Atrophy–‘want of Nourishment; when the body pines away’. (Salmon)
Balneo (-eum)–a bath; see BM.
Balneo Mariae–see BM.
B.M.–Balneo Maria, the Marian Bath. A vessel to digest or distill in; it is a vessel of water with a heat source underneath in which another vessel sits; into this vessel may be put herbs and other medicines to be digested or distilled. This has the advantage of not allowing the medicine to be heated above 100 degrees centigrade. It is said to be named after ‘Mary the Jewess’ who is said to have been first to use it.
Bechica–medicines which ease coughs and expectorate.
Cachexia–A non–specific term for general wasting or poor health, or to those who are malnourished. Paracelsus said the nutriment turns to Evil Humors.
Cacochymical–‘a body which is replete or abounds with many evil humours’. (Salmon)
Capsula–the cover or head of any vessel, still or furnace.
Caput Mortum–it ‘is the matter which remains at the bottom of the Stillatory, thick and dry, chiefly from Minerals; but when it is named alone, it is only intended that of Vitriol’ (Salmon); it may also signify the non soluble salt left after the soluble salts are dissolved in Spagyric tinctures and Alchemical preparations.
Cardialgia–Heart burn
Caries–Foulness, Rottenness, or Corruption of a Bone or Tooth.
Cephalalgia–a type of headache which affects the whole head which may be acute or chronic, mild or severe.
Cephalaea–intolerable Headache or Migraine which weakens all the powers of the Head. There may be violent pain, throbbing in the head, noises of the ears and bulging of all the veins in the head.
Cephalic–A medicine for diseases of the head.
Chlorosis–Anemia, typically in young girls. Sometimes it was attributed to primary amenorrhea; the belief being that obstruction of menstruation caused weakness, paleness and a greenish complexion.
Cicatrize–to bring to a Scar as in healing Wounds or Ulcers.
Circulation–1. Circulation of the Blood or Humors; 2. A liquor is placed in a vessel, normally the type called a Pelican, and with a gentle digestion, the Volatile Parts are made to rise up and fall down continuously (or circulate), causing it to digest or mature.
Clarification–this refers to the clarifying of liquids, chiefly Decoctions and Juices; it is done 1. by filtering, 2. by digestion, or 3. with the addition of Egg Whites.
Clyster–Enema
Cohobation–means pouring a liquor distilled upon the feces from which it was distilled, and redistilling.
Collyrium–any medicine to be put into the Eyes; either a Water, Ointment, or very finely prepared powder.
Congestion–‘the gathering together, or heaping up of many humors’.
Correction–Making an unpleasant medicine more palatable, or correcting an extreme in a medicine, as in taking a very cold medicine with some warming herbs to counteract its debilitating effects, or taking purgatives with carminative aromatics.
Costive–Constipated
Courses–Menstruation
Crisis (ie. Healing Crisis)–‘a time to give judgement in, manifested by bleeding at the nose, by Vomit, by Stool, by Urine, by Sweating, by breaking out at lips, or by Abscess’.
Defluxion–‘the falling of Rheum from the Head upon inferior parts’. Rheum was especially said to fall from the head to the Lungs; this could be thought of as 1. mucus falling from the sinuses down the throat, or 2. possibly even the lymphatic congestion which may occur in the upper chest region from the thick lymphatic ‘rheum’ which ‘falls’ from the head down through the lymphatic channels.
Deobstruent–Something that clears obstructions.
Dephlegmation–separation of the phlegm via distillation or evaporation.
Derivation–the drawing of an offending Humor from a diseased part to some other part.
Diabetes–This is an old latin medical term for the inability to hold water; it comes with excessive Thirst and with great pain. Liquid taken in is not digested or altered, but passes straight through as urine. ‘ ... it is esteemed to be incurable, for that it consumes the body from day to day, and that so long, until that death follows after it’ (Wirtzung, 1598). This overlaps the modern understanding of Diabetes, but is not necessarily synonymous. It was seen in the West as largely being a result of Hot and dry Kidneys, and Kidney Yin deficiency is also a primary cause from the TCM perspective.
Diamnem–similar to Diabetes in that there is incontinence of urine, but there is no manifest heat, no thirst, and no feeling when the urine is passed. It may come from accidents or blows to the area; it was also caused by cutting the sphincter muscle at the neck of the bladder when performing surgery to remove Bladder Stones. This normally came with coldness and deficiency, and may be seen in Paralysis, Lethargy, and during Pregnancy in women.
Dolor–Pain
Dropsy–Edema
Dysuria–a retention of Urine with pain in passing urine, and urine is passed very slowly. There is also usually a pricking pain and heat in the urethra.
Efficient Cause–‘that which creates or makes the Disease’.
Errhines–Medicines taken up the nose to increase nasal secretion, or to promote sneezing to clear the head. Usually powders, but sometimes liquids or juices were used.
Eschar–the scab or crust which falls off after a Caustic or Blistering Medicine is applied.
Escharotic–a kind of Caustic medicine. Essential Salts–The Salts, usually of Herbs, obtained by burning the herbs to ashes, dissolving in water, filtering, and evaporating to obtain a powder.
Falling–Prolapse
Falling Sickness–Epilepsy
Flowers–1. Flower of a plant; 2. The Menstrual period; 3. a sublimed product (usually an oxide) often of a metal: eg. Flos Sulphuris (Sublimed Sulphur), or the Flowers of Tin.
Fluor Albus–Leukorrhea or discharge
Flux–Excessive flow of blood or excrement. Often Womens Fluxes are referred to, which is excessive menstruation or uterine bleeding. Fluxes of the stomach, which refer to diarrhea or dysentery.
Fundament–Anus
Green Sickness–see Chlorosis
Hectic Fever–A daily, usually low fever, as seen in tuberculosis and other wasting diseases.
Hemicrania–one-sided Migraine or headache affecting either the left or right side of the head, or, conversely, either the front or back part of the head. Apart from this, it is very similar to the Cephalaea, and is treated the same.
Hemorrhoid Veins–‘Veins of the Anus, conveying Black and Melancholy Blood’. (Salmon)
Hicket–Hiccough
Huckle bone–Hip
Hydrophobia–literally 'Fear of Water'; Rabies
Hydrops–Edema
Icterus–Jaundice
Impostume–Abscess
Chlorosis–Anemia, typically in young girls. Sometimes it was attributed to primary amenorrhea; the belief being that obstruction of menstruation caused weakness, paleness and a greenish complexion.
Cicatrize–to bring to a Scar as in healing Wounds or Ulcers.
Circulation–1. Circulation of the Blood or Humors; 2. A liquor is placed in a vessel, normally the type called a Pelican, and with a gentle digestion, the Volatile Parts are made to rise up and fall down continuously (or circulate), causing it to digest or mature.
Clarification–this refers to the clarifying of liquids, chiefly Decoctions and Juices; it is done 1. by filtering, 2. by digestion, or 3. with the addition of Egg Whites.
Clyster–Enema
Cohobation–means pouring a liquor distilled upon the feces from which it was distilled, and redistilling.
Collyrium–any medicine to be put into the Eyes; either a Water, Ointment, or very finely prepared powder.
Congestion–‘the gathering together, or heaping up of many humors’.
Correction–Making an unpleasant medicine more palatable, or correcting an extreme in a medicine, as in taking a very cold medicine with some warming herbs to counteract its debilitating effects, or taking purgatives with carminative aromatics.
Costive–Constipated
Courses–Menstruation
Crisis (ie. Healing Crisis)–‘a time to give judgement in, manifested by bleeding at the nose, by Vomit, by Stool, by Urine, by Sweating, by breaking out at lips, or by Abscess’.
Defluxion–‘the falling of Rheum from the Head upon inferior parts’. Rheum was especially said to fall from the head to the Lungs; this could be thought of as 1. mucus falling from the sinuses down the throat, or 2. possibly even the lymphatic congestion which may occur in the upper chest region from the thick lymphatic ‘rheum’ which ‘falls’ from the head down through the lymphatic channels.
Deobstruent–Something that clears obstructions.
Dephlegmation–separation of the phlegm via distillation or evaporation.
Derivation–the drawing of an offending Humor from a diseased part to some other part.
Diabetes–This is an old latin medical term for the inability to hold water; it comes with excessive Thirst and with great pain. Liquid taken in is not digested or altered, but passes straight through as urine. ‘ ... it is esteemed to be incurable, for that it consumes the body from day to day, and that so long, until that death follows after it’ (Wirtzung, 1598). This overlaps the modern understanding of Diabetes, but is not necessarily synonymous. It was seen in the West as largely being a result of Hot and dry Kidneys, and Kidney Yin deficiency is also a primary cause from the TCM perspective.
Diamnem–similar to Diabetes in that there is incontinence of urine, but there is no manifest heat, no thirst, and no feeling when the urine is passed. It may come from accidents or blows to the area; it was also caused by cutting the sphincter muscle at the neck of the bladder when performing surgery to remove Bladder Stones. This normally came with coldness and deficiency, and may be seen in Paralysis, Lethargy, and during Pregnancy in women.
Dolor–Pain
Dropsy–Edema
Dysuria–a retention of Urine with pain in passing urine, and urine is passed very slowly. There is also usually a pricking pain and heat in the urethra.
Efficient Cause–‘that which creates or makes the Disease’.
Errhines–Medicines taken up the nose to increase nasal secretion, or to promote sneezing to clear the head. Usually powders, but sometimes liquids or juices were used.
Eschar–the scab or crust which falls off after a Caustic or Blistering Medicine is applied.
Escharotic–a kind of Caustic medicine. Essential Salts–The Salts, usually of Herbs, obtained by burning the herbs to ashes, dissolving in water, filtering, and evaporating to obtain a powder.
Falling–Prolapse
Falling Sickness–Epilepsy
Flowers–1. Flower of a plant; 2. The Menstrual period; 3. a sublimed product (usually an oxide) often of a metal: eg. Flos Sulphuris (Sublimed Sulphur), or the Flowers of Tin.
Fluor Albus–Leukorrhea or discharge
Flux–Excessive flow of blood or excrement. Often Womens Fluxes are referred to, which is excessive menstruation or uterine bleeding. Fluxes of the stomach, which refer to diarrhea or dysentery.
Fundament–Anus
Green Sickness–see Chlorosis
Hectic Fever–A daily, usually low fever, as seen in tuberculosis and other wasting diseases.
Hemicrania–one-sided Migraine or headache affecting either the left or right side of the head, or, conversely, either the front or back part of the head. Apart from this, it is very similar to the Cephalaea, and is treated the same.
Hemorrhoid Veins–‘Veins of the Anus, conveying Black and Melancholy Blood’. (Salmon)
Hicket–Hiccough
Huckle bone–Hip
Hydrophobia–literally 'Fear of Water'; Rabies
Hydrops–Edema
Icterus–Jaundice
Impostume–Abscess
King’s Evil–Scrofula; Lymphadenitis
La Grippe–Influenza
Lask–Diarrhea
Lienteria–a flux of the stomach where food is passed out undigested.
Lights–Lungs
Matrix–Uterus
Maw–Stomach
Megrim–Migraine
Milt–Spleen
Mother–Uterus
Palsy–Paralysis
Plethora–too great Fullness of Blood in the body.
Podagra–Gout
Putrid Fever–Typhus
Quinsy–Tonsillitis
Reins–Kidneys; Ureters
Rheum–Any thin watery discharge
Rupture–Hernias; also used more broadly for things such as Varicose veins, Hematoma, and Hemorrhoids
St. Anthony’s Fire–Erysipelas
Scirrhus–a hard tumor coming from Melancholy; Fibroid
Scurf–Dandruff
Shaking Palsy–Parkinsonism
Struma–thickening of the glands as seen in Goiter and swollen lymph nodes
Terms–Menstrual period
Tetter–skin disease with itching or pustular patches; includes Eczema, Psoriasis
Venery–the sexual act
Wen–Cyst
Whites–Leukorrhea
Yard–Penis
La Grippe–Influenza
Lask–Diarrhea
Lienteria–a flux of the stomach where food is passed out undigested.
Lights–Lungs
Matrix–Uterus
Maw–Stomach
Megrim–Migraine
Milt–Spleen
Mother–Uterus
Palsy–Paralysis
Plethora–too great Fullness of Blood in the body.
Podagra–Gout
Putrid Fever–Typhus
Quinsy–Tonsillitis
Reins–Kidneys; Ureters
Rheum–Any thin watery discharge
Rupture–Hernias; also used more broadly for things such as Varicose veins, Hematoma, and Hemorrhoids
St. Anthony’s Fire–Erysipelas
Scirrhus–a hard tumor coming from Melancholy; Fibroid
Scurf–Dandruff
Shaking Palsy–Parkinsonism
Struma–thickening of the glands as seen in Goiter and swollen lymph nodes
Terms–Menstrual period
Tetter–skin disease with itching or pustular patches; includes Eczema, Psoriasis
Venery–the sexual act
Wen–Cyst
Whites–Leukorrhea
Yard–Penis