Latin Medical Abbreviations

Abscessus - Abscess.

Accessio - Seizure.

Adstante febri (Ads. febr.) - While fever is present.

Aeger - Sick.

Ante cibum (AC) - Before meals.

Ante prandium (AP) - Before a meal.

Apoplexia - Apoplexy, Stroke.

Aqua pura (Aq. pur.) - Pure water. (filtered, not distilled)

Baccalaureus Medicinae (BM) - Bachelor of Medicine.

Balneum tepidum (BT) - A tepid bath.

Bis in die (bid.) - Twice a day.

Capiatur (Capr.) - Let it be taken.

Colaturas - About to strain. (Sufficient to strain)

Colica - Colic.

Collutorium (Collut.) - A mouth-wash.

Collyrium (Collyr.) - An eye-lotion.

Constipatio - Constipation.

Convulsio - Convulsions.

Coque secundum artem (Coq. SA) - Boil according to art.

Coup - Stroke.

Crampmus - Cramps.

Cras mane (CM) - Tomorrow morning.

Cras mane sumendus (CMS) - To be taken tomorrow morning.

Cras nocte (CN) - Tomorrow night.

Crastinus (Crast.) - For tomorrow.

Cura te ipsum - Physician, heal thyself!

Cyathus aqua (C. aq.) - A glass of water.

Da, signa (DS) - Give and sign.

Deaurentur pilulae (Deaur. pil.) - Let the pills be gilt.

Debilitas - Debility, Illness, Weakness.

Debita spissitudine (D, spiss.) - With a proper consistence.

Decessus - Died, Death.

Decubitus (Decub.) - Lying down.

Deglutiatur (Deglut.) - Let it be swallowed.

Delirium tremens - Alcoholic distress; delusions and trembling.

Dementia a potu - Insanity from drinking.

Dentur ad scatulam (Dent. ad scat.) - Let them be put in a box.

Dentur tales doses (DTD) - Let such doses be given.

Detur (Det.) - Let it be given.

Detur in duplo (D. in dup.) - Let twice as much be given.

Detur, signetur - Let it be given and signed.

Dextro lateri (Dext. lat.) - To the right side.

Dicbus alternis (Dicb, altern.) - Every other day.

Die sequente (D. seq.) - On the following day.

Diluculo (Diluc.) - At break of day.

Directione propria (DP) - With a proper direction.

Divide in partes aequales (D. in px) - Divide into equal parts.

Dosi pedetentim crescente (DPC) - The dose gradually increasing.

Dysenteria - Dysentery.

E gelatina vituli (E gel vit.) - In calf's foot jelly.

E paulo aquae (E paul. aq.) - In a little water.

E quolibet vehiculo idoneo (E quol. vehic, idon.) - In any suitable vehicle.

Eadem (Ead.) - The same.

Ecclampsia - Convulsions.

Ejusdem (Ejusd.) - Of the same.

Electuarium (Elect.) - An electuary.

Emeticum (Emet.) - An emetic.

Empicus - Lung disease.

Emplastrum (Emp.) - A plaster.

Emplastrum lyttx (Emp. lytt.) - A blister.

Epilepsia - Epilepsy.

Evacuatio (Evac.) - A motion.

Ex aqua (Ex aq.) - In water.

Exhaustio - Exhaustion.

Exhibeatur (Exhib.) - Let it be exhibited.

Extemplo (Estempl.) - To at once, immediately.

Extende super alutam mollem (Ext. sup. alut. moll.) - Spread it on soft leather.

Extractum (Ext.) - An extract.

Feber (Febris) - Fever.

Febri durunte (Feb. dur.) - During the fever.

Febris Adenomeningea - Adenomeningeal Fever.

Febris Africana - African Fever.

Febris Angina - Angina.

Febris Castrensis - Camp Fever.

Febris Enterica - Enteric Fever.

Febris Flava - Yellow Fever.

Febris Intermittens - Intermittent Fever.

Febris Militarius - War Fever.

Febris Nervosa - Nervous Fever.

Febris Petechialis - Spotted Fever.

Febris Puerperalis - Puerperal Fever.

Febris Remittens - Remittent Fever.

Febris Rubra - Scarlet Fever.

Febris Scorbutica - Scorbutic Fever.

Febris Verminosa - Verminous Fever.

Femoribus internis (Fem. intern.) - To the inner part of the thighs.

Fiant pilulae (Ft. pil.) - Let the pills, be made.

Fiat haustus (Ft. haust.) - Let a draught be made.

Fiat lege artis (FLA) - Let it be made according to rule.

Fiat mistura (FM., ft. mist.) - Let a mixture be made.

Fiat pilula (Ft. pil.) - Let a pill be made.

Fiat secundum artem (FSA) - Let it be made according to art.

Filtrum (Filtr.) - A filter.

Frustillatim (Frust.) - Little by little.

Frustum (Frust.) - A little bit.

Gelatina quavis (Gel. quav.) - In any kind of jelly.

Gutturi applicandus (Guttur. appl.) - To be applied to the throat.

Harum pilulae tres sumantur (Har. pil. iij. s.) - Let three of these pills be taken.

Haustus ter de die sumendus (Ht. TDDS) - The draught to be taken three times a day.

Hebdomada (Hebdom.) - For a week.

Hora somni (HS) - At bedtime. (At the hour of sleep)

Horae unius spatio (Hor. un. spat.) - At the expiration of one hour.

Horis intermediis (Hor, interm.) - In the intermediate hours.

Hujus formae (HF) - Of this shape. (emplast)

Impetu effervescentiae (Impet. efferv.) - During effervescence.

In decocto hordei (In decoct. hord.) - In barley water.

In dies (In d.) - From day to day.

In folio argenti volvendas (In fol. arg. vol.) - Rolled in silver leaf.

In fusum (Inf.) - An infusion.

In partes aequales (In p. aeq.) - Into equal parts.

In pulmento (In pulm.) - In gruel.

Infectio - Infection.

Inflammatio - Inflammation.

Infricetur (Infric.) - Let it be rubbed in.

Infunde (Infund.) - Pour in.

Injectio (Inj.) - An injection.

Injectio hypodermica (Inj. hyp.) - An hypodermic injection.

Injiciatur enema (Inj. enem.) - Let an enema be administered.

Inspissare (Insp.) - To thicken.

Lateri dolcnti (Lat. dol.) - To the affected side.

Linfricandus - To be rubbed in.

Linimentum parti affectre infricandum (Lin. p. a. infr.) - The liniment to be rubbed on the affected part.

Luce prima (Luc. p.) - Early in the morning, dawn.

Mane et vespere (M. et. v.) - Morning and evening.

Mane primo (MP) - Early in the morning.

Marasmus - Weakness.

Massa pilularum (MP) - A pill mass.

Medicinae Doctor (MD) - Doctor of Medicine.

Mica panis (Mic. pan.) - A crumb of bread.

Misce, fiat mistura (M. ft. mist.) - Mix, and let a mixture be made.

Mittantur in phialam (Mittr. in phial.) - Let them be put into a phial.

Mittatur, mittantur (Mittr.) - Let it (let them) be sent.

Mitte quantitatem duplicem (M. q. dx.) - Send double quantity.

Morbus Hungaricus - Epidemic Typhus.

Morbus - Disease.

More dicto utendus (MDU) - To be used as directed.

More dictor (M. Dict.) - As directed.

More solito (MS) - In the usual manner.

Mors - Death.

Musculus latissimus dorsi - The widest muscle of the back.

Natus Mortuus - Stillborn.

Nihil per os (NPO) - Nothing by mouth.

Obitus - Death, Died.

Omni bidou (Omn. bid.) - Every two days.

Ope penicilli - With a Camel-hair pencil.

Partes aequales (P. AE.) - Equal parts.

Parti affectae (Part. affect.) - To the affected part.

Parti affectae applicandus (PAA) - To be applied to the affected part.

Partitis vicibus (Part. vic.) - In divided doses.

Per deliquium (PD) - By deliquescence.

Per os (PO) - Through the mouth; By mouth.

Per rectum (PR) - Through the rectum.

Peracta operatione emetic (or, emetica) (Peract. op. emet.) - When the operation of the emetic is finished.

Pestis - Plague.

Phiala prius agitata (PPA) - The bottle having been previously shaken.

Placebo - I will please. (Medical expression for remedies with no medical effect, which improve one's medical condition only because one believes they do)

Post cibum (PC) - After meals.

Post jentaculum (Post jentac.) - After breakfast.

Post prandium (Post prand.) - After dinner.

Post quamque evacuationem (Post qq. evac.) - After each motion.

Post singulas sedes liquidas (Post sing, sed. liq.) - After each liquid motion.

Primum est non nocere - First of all, do no harm. (Hippocrates; The maxim has become an ethical guiding principle in medical profession)

Pro dosi (PD) - For a dose.

Pro potu sumendus (Pro pot. s.) - To be taken as a drink.

Pro ratione aetatis (Pro. rat. wt.) - According to age.

Pro re nata (PRN) - As needed: As the occasion arises.

Proxima luce (Prox. luc.) - On the next day.

Pulvinar humuli (Pulv, hum.) - A hop pillow.

Quantitas duplex (Q. dx.) - A double quantity.

Quantum libet (QL) - As much as pleases. (As much as you wish)

Quantum sufficit (QS) - As much as suffices.

Quantum vis (QV) - As much as you wish.

Quaque die (QD) - Every day.

Quaque hora (QH) - Every hour.

Quaque mane (QM) - Every morning.

Quaque nocte (QN) - Every night.

Quater die (QD) - Four times a day.

Quater in die (QID) - Take four times a day.

Quoque alternis die (QAD) - Every other day.

Redactus in pulverem (R. in pulv.) - Reduced to powder.

Redigatur in pulverem (Redig. in pulv.) - Let it be reduced to powder.

Rememdium - Cure, remedy, nostrum, medicine.

Repetat (Rep., Repet.) - Let him repeat.

Sanguisugae sex (Sanguisug. vj.) - Six leeches.

Semidrachma (Semidr.) - Half a drachm.

Sequenti luce (Seq. luc.) - The following day.

Sermihora (Semih.) - Half an hour.

Sesquihora (Sesquih.) - An hour and a half.

Sesuncia (Sesunc.) - Apt ounce and a half.

Si vires permittant (Si vir. perm.) - If the strength permit.

Signa, signetur, signentur (Sig.) - Let it be signed, sign.

Signetur (Sig.) or (S/) - Let it be labeled.

Singulis aurosis (Sing. auror.) - Every morning.

Singulis horae quadrantibus (Sing. hor. quad.) - Every quarter of an hour.

Solve, dissolve (Solv.) - Soluble tablets.

Spasmus - Cramps.

Spiritus vini rectificatus (SVR) - Rectified spirit.

Spiritus vini tenuior (SVT) - Proof spirit.

Statim (stat) - Immediately.

Statu effervescentiae (Stat. eff.) - Whilst effervescing.

Stratum super stratum (SSS) - Layer upon layer.

Sub finem coctionis (Sub fin. coct.) - When sufficiently boiled down.

Sumat talem (Sum. tal.) - Let the patient take one (or more) such.

Tempori dextro (Temp. dext.) - To the right temple.

Ter in die (TID) - Thrice a day.

Tere simul (Ter. sim.) - Rub together.

Tinctura (Tr.) - A tincture.

Tussi urgente (Tuss. urg.) - If the cough is troublesome.

Tussis - Cough.

Typhus - Typhoid fever.

Ubi pus, ibi evacua - Where there is pus, (there) evacuate it.

Variola - Smallpox.

Vermis - Worms.