Part 7

NEPHRITIC.--A medicine used in diseases of the kidneys, as buchu, uva ursi, etc.

NERVINE.--A medicine that calms nervous excitement or acts favorably in nervous diseases, as potassium bromide, chloral hydrate, etc.

NUTRIENT.--A medicine which builds up the waste tissues of the system, as cod liver oil, general tonics, etc.

OBTUNDENT.--Any agent which relieves irritation or reduces sensibility, as opium, poultices, etc.

ODONTALGIC.--Any substance for the relief of toothache, as oil of cloves, morphine, etc.

ODORANT.--Any substance with a pronounced odor, as naphthaline, asafoetida, etc.

OPIATE.--A drug which causes sleep, as chloral hydrate, opium, etc.

OXYTOCIC.--Any agent that produces parturition, as cotton root, ergot, etc.

PANACEA.--A medicine curing all diseases; a cure all, as some patent medicines.

PARASITICIDE.--A substance that destroys various animal and vegetable organisms or parasites which live upon the surface of the body, as mercurial and sulphur ointment, etc.

PARTURIENT or PARTURIFACIENT.--Any agent assisting in the birth of the young, as ergot.

PERISTALTIC.--A medicine which increases the movements of the longitudinal and transverse muscular fibers of the intestines and assists them in expelling their contents as nux vomica, arecoline, etc.

PLACEBO.--Any medicine or inert substance given for the purpose of satisfying the patient, rather than for its medical effects, as sugar, fenugreek, anise, etc.

POISON.--An agent that when introduced into the body either destroys life or impairs seriously the functions of one or more of its organs, as potassium cyanide, hydrocyanic acid, etc.

POTENTIAL.--A medicine which possesses restorative effects, but is delayed in its effects, as potassium iodide, arsenic, etc.

PRESERVATIVE.--A substance which prevents decomposition of another substance, as acetanilid, boric acid, etc.

PREVENTIVE or PROPHYLACTIC.--A medicine or method that tends to prevent disease, as quinine for the prevention of malaria, vaccine, hygienics, etc.

PROTECTIVE.--A substance used for protecting the parts to which it is applied, as collodion, etc.

PUNGENT.--Any substance producing a sharp, pinching, penetrating effect, as ammonia.

PURGATIVE.--A medicine causing copious evacuations of the bowels. (See Cathartics.)

PUSTULANT.--A medicine which irritates and gives rise to the formation of pustules, as cantharides, croton oil, etc.

RECUPERATIVE.--A medicine which restores health and energy, as extract of malt, cod liver oil, etc.

REFRIGERANT.--A medicine or agent having cooling properties or the power of lowering internal or external temperature, as potassium nitrate, aconite, cold water, etc.

RELAXANT.--A substance which causes relaxation of muscular tissues, as chloroform, chloral, etc.

REPARATIVE.--A substance used to restore debilitated tissues of the body, as general tonics, nitrogenous foods, etc.

RESOLVENT.--A substance indicated in the treatment or absorption of hard, callous tissue, as iodine and its preparations.

RESTORATIVE.--A medicine that aids in restoring the health, as nux vomica, arsenic, etc.

REVULSANT or REVULSIVE.--An agent which produces irritation and draws fluids from other parts diseased, as poultices, cantharides, etc.