197. Health

See also 122. DISEASE and ILLNESS .

analgesia, analgesy

the absence of pain. — analgesic, analgetic, adj.

analogism

Medicine. diagnosis of a condition on the basis of its resemblance to other conditions.

anatripsology

the use of friction, especially rubbing, in therapy or as a remedy.

anesthesia, anaesthesia, anesthesis, anaesthesis

the absence of physical sensation. — anesthesiologist, anaesthesiologist, anaesthetist, n. — anesthetic, anaesthetic, n., adj.

antisepsis

the destruction of microorganisms that cause infection. — antiseptic, adj.

bacteriostasis

the process of preventing the growth or spread of bacteria. — bacteriostat, n. — bacteriostatic, adj.

cachexia, cachexy

general physical or mental poor health; weakness or malnutrition.

dyscrasia

Medicine. an unhealthy condition, especially an imbalance of physiologic or constitutional elements, often of the blood. Cf. eucrasia. — dyscrasic, dyscratic, adj.

epulosis

the formation of scar tissue as part of the healing process. — epulotic, adj.

eucrasia

1. Medicine . a normal state of health; good health.

2. physical well-being. Cf. dyscrasia. — eucrasic, eucratic, adj.

eupepsia, eupepsy

a condition of good digestion. — eupeptic, adj.

evectics, euectics

the theory of the achievement and maintenance of good health. — evectic, euectic, adj.

germicide

any substance for killing germs, especially bacteria. — germicidal, adj.

hygeist, hygieist

a hygienist.

hygiastics

Rare. hygienics. Also called hygiantics.

hygienics

1. the branch of medical science that studies health and its preservation; hygiene.

2. a system of principles for promoting health. — hygienist, n. — hygienic, adj.

hygieology, hygiology

Rare. the science of hygiene; hygienics.

hypochondriacism, hypochondriasis

1. Psychiatry. an abnormal state characterized by emotional depression and imagined ill health, often accompanied by symptoms untraceable to any organic disease.

2. excessive concern and conversation about one’s health. Also called hypochondria, nosomania . — hypochondriac, n. — hypochondriacal, adj.

invalescence

Obsolete, a state of good health; strength.

lysis

the gradual process of a disease, ending in the recovery of the patient. See also 72. CELLS . — lyterian, lytic, adj.

prophylaxis

protection from or prevention of disease. — prophylactic, adj.

sanability

Rare. the state or condition of being curable; susceptibility to remedy. — sanable, adj.

soteriology

Rare. 1. a treatise on health.

2. the science of attaining and maintaining good health. — soteriological, adj.

synteresis

preventive or preservative treatment or measures; prophylaxis. See also 145. ETHICS .

tonicity

the state or quality of having good muscular tone or tension. — tonic, adj.

trypanophobia

an abnormal fear of vaccines and vaccination. Also called vaccinophobia.

valetudinarianism

1. a condition of poor health.

2. a state of being concerned with health, often excessively.

3. invalidism. — valetudinarian, n., adj.