Morris tribune., 1882-09-14
Observation-Disclosures
Why Backache Isn't Really Back
ache in Classic Greek.

Why Backache Isn't Really a Back
ache in Classic Greek.
From the Chicago News.
There are some people uncharitable
enough to think that medical practice
would be much less productive to it's
professors if they would break down the
barrier of Greek and Latin nomencla-
ture, which is the principal element in
its mystery. Whether such is, or is
not, the fact there can be no doubt that
medical knowledge is becoming more
general and that the mployment of
classic technical names is in process of
gradual abandonment. This fact may
be amply proved by a glance at reports
of board of health and even by medi-
cal journals, which have chosen to adopt
popular, not to say vulgar, nOmenc.a-
enough of technical naming lett, how
er, to make riddle of their tables and
disouisitions to one not familiar with
the parent languages
This is the case even when the effort is
to popularize knowledge and inform a.
ton. Take, for instance, the periodical
reports of the board of health of this
city, one of whose functions is supposed
to be the collation. of information on
health matters for the instruction of cit
liens. Their sources Of information are
chiefly practicing physicians, and if they
adopt the peculiar photography of some
Of the practitioners, as seen in their re-
ports, they could hardly be less under
stood. What mother would recognize
under the term "aphthae" those disa-
greeable little curC-like sores on her
baby's mouth, which she always heard
call ''thrush." 1t might comfort the
aged darkey, who finds himself 'power-
full weak" to know that he is really af-
tiicted with "asthenia.' The "misery in
the chest of old-time sufferers is known
to experts as ''augina pectoriS." When
muscles waste away with, traccable
disease they are said to be ''atrophied"
Wits dance" is 'chorea' in medical par
lance Rest-disturbing, soul-harrowing
carbuncles would hardly be recognized
under the name ''anthraX."
Many OF the technical names are made
by adding the suftiN tits, to the cas-
sic names of the organ affected. Thus
Inflammation of the brain substance be-
comes "cert A'its," of the stomach and
bowels is ''gastro enteritis," Of the bow
els alone "enteritis,' The common and
recognizable att1iction, dropsy, is Tactics"
with changes in name according 10
the location. Thus, dropsy of the brain
is 'hydro-cephalus," of the chest "hy-
dro--thorax," of the ear "hydroitis," of
the flesh "anasarca," or of the joints
''hydrosteon." Heart disease generally
is described as ''caridits." Blood vomit-
ing is 'hacmatemesis." The "yaller
janders," which we're more common
when the prairies of Illinois were first
broken and is by no means uncommon
now, would hardly be recognized as
"Meloena cholea," "Icterus," veridis,'
according to the type and virulence of
the complaint. ''Leucocythemia" is a
very long name to describe the milky
condition of blood incidents to insufficient
nutrition. "Marasmus" is another way
of saying "leaness," although it means
something more. a lean condition that
comes of lack of power to assimilate
nourishment "Gdema' is the word
doctors use to describe general drop
| steal condition. Scrofula was once a
technical term, but has become common
| through long use. Not so "choreas,"
which means the same thing. The latter,
| by the way, is the Greek for swine, the
| animal being credited by the ancients
with incubating and spreading the dis
ease. 'Seleroderma" is fine. mouth
filling word, meaning "scaly" applied to
the skin. 1t probably would not help
the seamstress to bear her backache to
know she suffered with "myeletis," nor
cure her headache to hear it called
"cephalalgia." ''Svnoirtis' is inhamma-
| ton of the joints; ''tetanus," lockiaw
"trlsmus nascentium,' a sort of lockjaw
! which atfiicts very young babies. "Tabes
| dersalis' is better known under its old
fashioned name, "the ripples." Many
of the technical words. however, are of
real assistance to practitioners, because
| they indicate diseases, conditions,
or parts of the human anatomy
that would require several English
words to describe. Thus "peritonis'
is inflammation Of a membrane that en-
Velopes all the inferior viscera. Mem
engltls" an inflammation of the covering
membrane OF the brain and spinal mar
| row.
a good deal is to be said in favor of
technical nomenclature in pharmacy. 1t
is not desirable to have the prescriptions
of physicians compounded by people
! whose knowledge of English is limited,
and of other tongues zero. The classic
| words and phrases become safeguard
lnasmuch as instruction in the art OF
medicine making must be preceded by a
| course of instruction in letters qualify
ing the pupil to read and comprehend
| the technical terms. Besides, it is not
| always desirable to have patient know
what medicine he is using. 1t is en-
| phatlcally true of medical science that
"a little learning is dangerous thing