URB: Lesson - Latin Legacy in the Sciences

Science and Medicine

Latin is alive and well in our modern world today. Sciences, rooted in ancient and medieval scholarship, have used Latin as a foundational language. Let's examine a few examples of the influence Latin has on our daily lives. This lesson will explain why the Roman civilization has had such a lasting effect on Western civilization.

Anatomy

During the second century CE, a Greek physician and philosopher named Galen of Pergamon practiced medicine in Rome. Galen was primarily interested in the study of anatomy and wrote an influential treatise on anatomy. Knowing Latin will be helpful if you study human anatomy. Many medical terms relating to the body derive directly from Latin. Study the image to learn some of the common body parts in Latin. Do you recognize Latin cognates from the vocabulary below?

Body Part Vocabulary

Left Side	Top	Right Side
	corpus, corporis, n. - body caput, capitis, n. - head
oculus, oculi, m. - eye nasus, nasi, m. - nose os, oris, n. - mouth		auris, auris, f. - ear dens, dentis, m. - tooth
bracchium, brachii, n. - arm manus, manus, f. - hand digitus, digitus, m. - finger		cor, cordis, n. - heart tergum, tergi, n. - back
		crus, cruris, n. - leg pes, pedis, m. - foot digitus, digiti, m. toe

Biology

Biologists use a two-word naming system called binomial nomenclature to assign scientific names to all species of life. Scientific names are derived from classical languages (most often Latin) because they serve as a stable, universal language for all scientists to use when communicating about organisms. Latin scientific naming has been used since ancient times, but was not universally applied and regulated until a formal system was suggested by Carolus Linnaeus in the 1700s. Knowing Latin will assist you in the study of biology as well. Let's look at two animals you may be familiar with. Can you think of other scientific names derived from Latin? 

Pictured on the left: Canis lupus (common grey wolf). Pictured on the right: Canis familiaris (domesticated dog)

Pharmacology

Doctors use Latin abbreviations to write medical prescriptions. The abbreviation (R_x) is used for the Latin verb recipe meaning take. Check out some common terms used below.

Abbreviations from the Pharmacy

Latin Abbreviation	Full Latin Form	English Translation
M.D.	medicinae doctor	doctor of medicine
a.c.	ante cibum	before food
a.d.	auris dextra	right ear
a.s.	auris sinistra	left ear
a.u.	auris uterque aures unitas	each ear both ears together
b.i.d.	bis in die	twice daily
gtt(s)	gutta(e)	drop(s)
h.s.	hora somni	at bedtime literally: at the hour of sleep
o.d.	oculus dexter	right eye
o.s.	oculus sinister	left eye
o.u.	oculus uterque	each eye/both eyes
p.c.	post cibos	after meals
p.o.	per os	per mouth
p.r.n.	pro re nata	as needed
q._.h.	quaque ____ hora	every ___ hour(s) ex: q4h = every four hours
q.d.	quaque die	every day, daily
q.i.d.	quater in die	four times a day
Rx	recipe	Take, medical prescription
sig.	signa	directions
stat	statim	at once, immediately
t.i.d.	ter in die	three times a day
tab	tabella	tablet
u.d.	ut dictum	as directed