history of medical terms

[Ges]

Hello,

About this time last year there was a great radio 4 series (please, I know it's dull to listen radio 4 but it's great company and it sends my children to sleep) of the etymology of medical terms/words. I think it was based on a book but I've searched and searched and can't find it or anything else like it. The programme featured just 1 old male professor talking about the Greek and Latin behind different terms/words and it was fantastic! Anyone know who he was/what his book is called (if it was even from a book)?

Ges
x

[Frank E]

No, I can't find medical dictionary with etymology or roots.

[Frank E]

Had this page in my history abdomenThe orgin of this term is not known. It was used as long ago as Pliny (A.D. 50), a

It cites:
Medical Etymology. The History and Derivations of Medical Terms for Studens of Medicine, Dentistry, and Nursing.

By: O.H. Perry Pepper, M.D. Professor of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania.

It makes it a lot more interesting to read and easier to follow anatomy when you also learn the roots of the words, well it does for me.

I thought Sinus (from which we derive sine sinusoid/al etc) was the name of the curve of cloth on the front of a toga, thereafter adopted in mathematics electircal engineering etc whereas the etymology in the link above suggests it is from bay. Hmmm. I'd go with Dr Pepper though.

edit: It's absolutely not dull to listen to Radio 4 on the wireless. It is in fact a trusty old companion.

[Ges]

Thanks Frank.
I actually ended up with this:
The Language of Medicine; A Manual Giving the…Amazon.co.uk: Frederick Rans Campbell: Books
Looks dull but it really helps. With my choice of reading and radio station I think I'll be buying a pipe and slippers soon...