Author: Glossary

  • Organ of Jacobson

    A blind tubular sac that develops in the medial wall of the nasal cavity, becoming a functional olfactory organ in lower animals, but degenerating or remaining rudimentary in humans.  

  • Excretory organ

    An organ that is concerned with the excretion of waste products from the body.  

  • Orf

    A contagious pustular dermatitis caused by the orf virus, a DNA virus of the Parapoxvirus genus, which is related to the vaccinia-variola subgroup of poxviruses. Orf mainly affects lambs and occurs in the spring. The disease rarely occurs in humans. When it does, it is usually confined to a single pustular lesion on a finger,…

  • Ordinate

    The vertical line parallel to the y-axis in a graph in which horizontal and perpendicular lines are crossed in order to provide a frame of reference. The abscissa is the horizontal line parallel to the x-axis.  

  • Stop order

    A standing medical order in a patient’s chart requiring discontinuation of a specific drug or treatment after a specified time. The order may be reinstated by an authorized health care provider at a later date.  

  • Tuberculous orchitis

    A rare form of orchitis generally arising in the epididymis. It may be accompanied by formation of chronic sinuses and destruction of tissues. With the widespread use of antituberculosis drugs for primary pulmonary tuberculosis, this condition is rarely seen.  

  • Syphilitic orchitis

    Orchitis due to syphilis. This type of orchitis usually begins painlessly in the body of the gland and is apt to be bilateral. It causes dense, irregular, knotty induration but little enlargement in size.  

  • Metastatic orchitis

    Orchitis due to a bloodborne infection that spreads to the testicle.  

  • Orchichorea

    Involuntary jerking movements of the testicles.  

  • Orcein

    An orcinol stain specific for elastic connective tissue.