Glossary

Category: S

  • Startle reflex

    The usual response of a young baby to a sudden loud noise or a sudden fall through the air, by contracting the limb and neck muscles. Alternate term for Moro’s reflex, a type of “primitive” reflex found only in babies that disappears in three to four months. An instinctive response observed in newborn infants, resembling…

  • Starling’s Law

    A law that the contraction of the ventricles is in proportion to the length of the ventricular muscle fibres at the end of diastole. A law stating that a muscle, including the heart muscle, responds to increased stretching at rest by an increased force of contraction when stimulated. A law that states that the force…

  • Starchy

    Referring to food which contains a lot of starch. This is a description of an adjective that can be used to describe a meal containing a high proportion of foods that are rich in starch. It can also be used to describe a food preparation that has a dry, granular, and unpleasant texture, which may…

  • Stapler

    A device used in surgery to attach tissues with staples, instead of suturing.  

  • Staphyloma

    A swelling of the cornea or the white of the eye. Abnormal bulging of the cornea or sclera (white) of the eye. Anterior staphyloma is a bulging scar in the cornea to which a part of the iris is attached. It is usually the site of a healed corneal ulcer that has penetrated right through…

  • Staphylococcal poisoning

    Poisoning by Staphylococci in food.  

  • Staphylectomy

    A surgical operation to remove the uvula. Surgical removal of the uvula (the back of the soft palate). The surgical removal of the uvula is called “uvulectomy.”  

  • Stapedial mobilisation

    A surgical operation to relieve deafness by detaching the stapes from the fenestra Ovalis.  

  • Stand up

    To get up from being on a seat. To hold yourself upright.  

  • Standard precautions

    The most recent set of guidelines for health care workers on dealing with blood, all body fluids, secretions and excretions (except sweat), non-intact skin and mucous membranes. They are designed to reduce the risk of transmission of microorganisms. The Standard Precautions are implemented automatically for everyone, as all patients are presumed to be potentially infectious.…