Category: S
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Single parent family
A family which consists of a child or children and only one parent, e.g. because of death, divorce or separation. A family in which only one of the parents is living with the child or children. A family in which only one parent lives with the child or children.
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Singer’s nodule
A small white polyp which can develop in the larynx of people who use their voice too much or too loudly. A small lump on the vocal cords which causes hoarseness. This tends to develop in people who strain their voices for example, singers, or people who shout excessively.
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Sinciput
The part of the skull that includes the forehead and the area above it. The frontal area of the head, in contrast to the occiput.
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Sims position
A position of the body in which the person lies on his or her left side with their left arm behind their back and their right knee and thigh flexed. It is used to allow the anal or vaginal area to be examined easily. A semiprone position with the patient on the left side, right…
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Simple epithelium
An epithelium formed of a single layer of cells.
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Simmonds disease
A condition of women due to postpartum haemorrhage, in which there is lack of activity in the pituitary gland, resulting in wasting of tissue, brittle bones and premature senility. Loss of sexual function, loss of weight, and other features of failure of the pituitary gland (hypopituitarism) occurring in women after childbirth complicated by bleeding (postpartum…
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Silvester method
A method of giving artificial respiration. The person lies on his or her back, then the firstaider brings the person’s hands together on the chest and moves them above the person’s head. Follow these steps in administering this type of first aid. Clear the air passages of any obstruction that can be reached with the…
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Silver nitrate
A salt of silver that is mixed with a cream or solution and used, e.g., to disinfect burns or to kill warts. Topical anti-infective agent used on wound dressings and placed in the eyes of newborns to prevent gonorrheal infection. A salt of silver with caustic, astringent, and disinfectant properties. It is applied in solutions…
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Silver
A white-coloured metallic element. A white, soft, ductile, malleable metal, its salts being widely used in medicine for their caustic, astringent, and antiseptic effects. Its atomic weight is 107.870; atomic number is 47; and specific gravity is 10.5. In dentistry, silver is used in prosthetic devices, as an alloy with copper or mercury, as silver…
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Silent
Not making any noise or talking. Not visible or showing no symptoms.