Medical Contractions

used in prescriptions, &c., with the words at length, and a translation. From Grays Supplement to the Pharmacopoeia. 5th edit. 8vo. London, 1831.

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• A. Aa. — Ana, of each ingredient.
• Abdom. — Abdomen, the belly; abdominis, of the belly; abdomini, to the belly.
• Abs. febr. — Absente febre, in the absence of the fever.
• Ad 2 vic. — Ad duas vices, at twice taking.
• Ad gr. acid. — Ad gratam aciditatem, to an agreeable sourness.
• Ad libit. — Ad libitum, at pleasure.
• Add. — Adde, or addantur, add; addendus, to be added; addendo, by adding.
• Admov. — Admoveatur, or admoveantur, apply.
• Adst. febr. — Adstante febre, when the fever is on.
• Aggred. febre. — Aggrediente febre, while the fever is coming on.
• Altern. horis. — Alternis horis, every other hour.
• Alvo adst. — Alvo adstricta, when the belly is bound.
• Aq. bull. — Aqua bulliens, boiling water.
• Aq. ferv. — Aqua fervens, boiling water.

• Bis ind. — Bis indies, twice a day.
• BB. Bbds. — Barbadensis, Barbadoes.
• B. M. — Balneum maris, a sea-water bath.
• Bull. — Bulliat, it should boil; bulliant, they should boil.
• B. V. — Balneum vaporis, a steam heat.

• Cap. — Capiat, take.
• C. m. — Cras mane, to-morrow morning.
• Coch. ampl. — Cochleare amplum, a large spoon.
• Coch. infant. — Cochleare infantis, a child's spoon.
• Coch. magn. — Cochleare magnum, a large spoon.
• Coch. mod. — Cochleare modicum, a dessert spoon.
• Coch. parv. — Cochleare parvum, a small spoon.
• Coerul. — Coeruleus, blue.
• Col. — Colatus, strained.
• Cohat. — Coletur, it should be strained; colaturae, of or to the strained liquor.
• Colent. — Colentur, they should be strained.
• Comp. — Compositus, compounded.
• Cont. rem. — Continuentur remedia, the medicines should be continued.
• Contr. — Contritus, ground to a fine powder.
• Coq. — Coque, boil; coquantur, they should be boiled.
• C. P. — Codex of Paris.
• Crast. — Crastinus, to-morrow.
• Cuj. — Cujus, of which.
• Cujusl. — Cujuslibet, of any.
• Cyath. theae. — Cyatho theae, in a cup of tea.

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• Deaur. pil. — Deaurentur pilute, the pills should be gilt.
• Deb. spiss. — Debita spissitudo, a proper consistence.
• Decub. — Decubitus, of lying down.
• De d. in d. — De die in diem, from day to day.
• Dej. alvi. — Dejectiones alvi, stools.
• Det Detur. — it should be given.
• Dieb. alt. — Diebus alternis, every other day.
• Dieb. tert. — Diebus tertiis, every third day.
• Dim. — Dimidius, one half.
• Dir. prop. — Directione propria, with a proper direction.
• Donec alv. bis dej. — Donec alvus bis dejiciat, until two stools have been obtained.
• Donec alv. sol. fuer. — Donec alvus soluta fuerit, until a stool has been obtained.

• Ejusd. — Ejusdem, of the same.
• Enem. — Enema (en-e-ma), a clyster; enemeta, clysters.
• Ext. sup. alut. — Extende super alutam, spread upon leather.

• F. pil. xij. — Fac pilulas duodecim, make 12 pills.
• Feb. dur. — Febre durante, during the fever.
• Fem. intern. — Femoribus internis, to the inner part of the thighs.
• F. venaes. — Fiat venaesectio, bleed.
• Fist. arm. — Fistula armata, a clyster pipe and bladder fitted for use.
• Fl. — Fluidus, liquid; also by measure.

• Gel. quav. — Gelatinâ quâvis, in any kind of jelly.
• G. G. G. — Gummi guttae gambifae, gamboge.
• Gr. — Granum, a grain; grana, grains.
• Gtt. — Gutta, a drop; guttae, drops.
• Gutt. quibusd. — Guttis quibusdam, with a few drops.

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• Har, pil. sum. iij. — Harum pilularum sumantur tres, three of these pills should be taken.
• Hor. decub. — Hora decubitus, at going to bed.
• Hor. som. — Hora somni, just before going to sleep; or on retiring to rest.
• Hor. un. spatio. — Horae unius spatio, at the expiration of an hour.
• Hor. interm. — Horis intermediis, at the intermediate hours between what has been ordered at stated times.

• Ind. — Indies, from day to day, or daily.
• In pulm. — In pulmento, in gruel.
• Inj. enem. — Injiciatur enema, a clyster should be given.

• Lat. dol. — Lateri dolenti, to the side that is affected.
• Lb. — Libra, a pound; or libra, weight, or a wine pint; when preceded by Arabic figures, Avoirdupois weight is generally meant; but when succeeded by Roman numerals, Troy weight, or pint measures.

• M. — Misce, mix; mensura, by measure.
• Manipulus. — a handful.
• Mane pr. — Mane primo, very early in the morning.
• Min. — Minimum, the 60th part of a drachm measure.
• Mtt. — Mitte, send; mittatur, or mittantur, there should be sent.
• Mitt. sang. ad xij. saltern. — Mittatur sanguis ad uncias duodecim saltern, blood should be taken away to 12 ounces at least.
• Mod. praesc. — Mode praascripto, in the manner directed.
• Mor. sol. — More solito, in the usual manner.

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• Ne tr. s. num. — Ne tradas sine nummo, you should not deliver it without the money: as a caution to the shopman, when the presence of the customer prevents the master giving a verbal direction.
• N. M. — Nux moschata, a nutmeg.

• O. — Octarius, a wine pint, being 1-8th of a gallon.
• Ol. lini s. i. — Oleum lini sine igne, cold drawn linseed oil.
• Omn. hor. — Omni hora, every hour.
• Omn. bid. — Omni biduo, every two days.
• Omn. bih. — Omni bihorio, every two hours.
• Omn. man. — Omni mane, every morning.
• Omn. noct. — Omni nocte, every night.
• Omn. quadr. hor. — Omni quadrante horse, every quarter of an hour.
• O. O. O. — Oleum olivae optimum, best olive oil.
• Oz. — The ounce Avoirdupois, or common weight, as distinguished from that prescribed by physicians in their orders.

• P. — Pondere, by weight.
• P. Bat. — Pharmacopoeia Batava.
• P. Belg. — Pharmacopoeia Belgica.
• P. D. — Pharmacopoeia Dublinensis.
• P. E. — Pharmacopoeia Edinensis.
• P. L. — Pharmacopoeia Londinensis.
• P. L. V. — Pharmacopoeia Londinensis [Vetus?] before 1745.
• P. U. S. — Pharmacopoeia of the United States.
• Part. vic. — Partitis vicibus, to be given in divided doses, instead of all at once.
• Per. op. emet. — Peracta operatione eraetici, when the operation of the emetic is finished.
• Post sing. sed. liq. — Post singulas sedes liquidas, after every loose stool.
• P. r. n. — Pro re nata, according as circumstances occur.
• P. rat. aet. — Pro ratione setatis, according to the age of the patient.
• Pug. — Pugillus, a gripe between the finger and thumb.

• Q. p. — Quantum placet, as much as you please.
• Q. s. — Quantum sufficit, as much as may suffice.
• Quor. — Quorum, of which.

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• R. — Recipe, take; but for this the old authors, and the French to this day, use this sign , being the old heathen invocation to Jupiter, seeking his blessing upon the formula, equivalent to the usual invocation of the poets and of Mahomedan authors, or the Laus Deo with which book-keepers and merchants clerks formerly began their books of account and invoices, a practice not yet quite extinct.
• Red. in pulv. — Redactus in pulverem, powdered.
• Redig. in pulv. — Redigatur in pulverem, it should be reduced to powder.
• Reg. umbil. — Regio umbilici, the parts near the navel.
• Repet. — Repetatur, it should be continued; repetantur, they should be continued.

• S. A. — Secundum artem, according to art.
• Semidr. — Semidrachma, half a drachm.
• Semih. — Semihora, half an hour.
• Sesunc. — Sesuncia, an ounce and a half.
• Sesquih. — Sesquihora, an hour and a half.
• Si n. val. — Si non valeat, if it does not answer.
• Si op. sit. — Si opus sit, if need shall be.
• Si vir. perm. — Si vires permittant, if the strength will allow.
• Sign. n. pr. — Signetur nomine proprio, write upon it the usual name, not the trade name.
• Sing. — Singulorum, singularum, of each.
• S. S. S. — Stratum super stratum, layer upon layer.
• Ss. — Semi, a half.
• St. — Stet, it should stand; stent, they should stand.
• Sub fin. cod. — Sub finem coctionis, when the boiling is nearly finished.
• Sum. tal. — Sumat talem, the patient should take one like this.
• S. V. — Spiritus vinosus, ardent spirits of any strength.
• S. V. R. — Spiritus vinosus rectificatus, spirit of wine.
• S. V. T. — Spiritus vinosus tenuis, proof spirit, or half and half spirit of wine and water.

• Temp. dext. — Tempori dextro, to the right temple.
• T. O. — Tinctura opii, tincture of opium; generally confounded with laudanum, which is properly the wine of opium.
• T. O. C. — Tinctura opii camphorata, paregoric elixir.
• Trit. — Tritus, ground to powder.

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• Ult. praescr. — Ultimo praescriptus, the last ordered.

• V. O. S. — Vitello ovi solutus, dissolved in the yelk of an egg.
• Vom. urg. — Vomitione urgente, when the vomiting begins.

• Z. — A mark in writing that a word is contracted, as in oz. for ounce.
• Zz. — Zingiber, ginger.

• . — Scrupulum, a scruple, equal to 20 grains Troy.
• . — Drachma, a drachm, equal to 3 scruples; or, in liquids, the 8th part of an ounce measure.
• . — Uncia, an ounce Troy; or, in liquids, the 16th part of a wine pint.

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