Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary 1908/Signs & Symbols used in Medicine and Music

by Thomas Davidson

SIGNS AND SYMBOLS USED IN MEDICINE AND MUSIC.

SYMBOLS USED IN MEDICINE AND PHARMACY.

Scruple; i, one scruple; ij, two scruples; ss, half a scruple; iss, a scruple and a half.

Dram or drachm; i, one dram; ij, two drams; ss, half a dram; iss, a dram and a half.

Ounce; i, one ounce; ij, two ounces; ss, half an ounce; iss, an ounce and a half.

A minim; a drop.

(Gr. ana), of each a like quantity.

(L. recipe), take.

The above symbols are employed almost always in medical prescriptions. A prescription consists of the following parts: (1) The Superscription; (2) The Inscription; (3) The Subscription; (4) The Signature. The Superscription, which consists of the letter , is a relic of the days of astrology. It originally was used to represent the symbol of the planet Jupiter. By common consent it is now regarded as representing the imperative mood of the Latin verb recipere, to take. The Inscription is a statement of the names of the substances to be used, with their quantities. The Subscription is made up of the directions for the guidance of the dispenser. The Signature includes the directions to the patient. This part of the prescription should be written in English; the other parts are in Latin. Sometimes the signature also is in Latin.

The body or prescription contains the following: the Basis, or principal active ingredient; the Adjuvant, or Auxiliary, to assist its action; the Corrective, to correct or diminish some undesirable quality; the Vehicle, or Excipient, to give a suitable form for administration.

PRESCRIPTION.

			Superscription.
(Basis)	Pot. Acet. v	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	Inscription.
(Adjuvant)	Tinct. Digitalis j
(Corrective)	Syr. Aurantii j
(Vehicle)	Dec. Scopar. ad viij
Misce, fiat mist.			Subscription.
Cpt. Cochl. mag. ii. 4ta. q.q. hora ex paul. aquæ			Signature.

Without Abbreviations or Contractions.

Recipe.
Potassii Acetatis drachmas quinque.
Tincturæ Digitalis drachmam unam.
Syrupi Aurantii unciam unam.
Decoctum Scoparii ad uncias octo.
Misce, fiat mistura.
Capiat cochlearia duo magna quartâ quâque horâ
ex paululo aquæ.

English Translation.

Take thou (the dispenser).
Five drachms of acetate of potassium.
One drachm of the tincture of digitalis.
One ounce of syrup of orange-peel.
Decoction of broom up to eight ounces.
Mix, let a mixture be made.
Let him (the patient) take two large spoonfuls at
each fourth hour, out of (in) a little water.

LIST OF LATIN PHRASES COMMONLY
USED IN THE WRITING OF PRESCRIPTIONS.

aa.	Ana	of each.
Ad.	Adde	add.
Ad lib.	Ad libitum	to the desired amount.
Ad us.	Ad usum	according to custom.
Æq.	Æquales	equal.
Aq.	Aqua	water.
Aq. bull.	Aqua bulliens	boiling water.
Aq. dest.	Aqua destillata	distilled water.
Bib.	Bibe	drink.
Bis ind.	Bis indies	twice a day.
Bis in 7 d.	Bis in septem diebus	twice a week.
C.	Cum	with.
Cap.	Capiat	let him take.
C. m.	Cras mane	to-morrow morning.
C. m. s.	Cras mane sumendus	to be taken to-morrow morning.
C. n.	Cras nocte	to-morrow night.
Cochl.	Cochleare	spoonful.
Cochl. ampl.	Cochleare amplum	a table-spoonful.
Cochl. infant.	Cochleare infantis	a tea-spoonful.
Cochl. mag.	Cochleare magnum	a table-spoonful.
Cochl. mod.	Cochleare modicum	a dessert-spoonful.
Cochl. parv.	Cochleare parvum	a tea-spoonful.
Contin.	Continuetur	let it be continued.
Cpt.	Capiat	let him take.
Cuj.	Cujus	of which.
C. v.	Cras vespere	to-morrow evening.
Cyath.	Cyathus	a glassful.
Cyath. vinos.	Cyathus vinosus	a wine-glassful.
D.	Dosis	a dose.
d.	Da	give.
D. d. in d.	De die in diem	from day to day.
Det.	Detur	let it be given.
Dieb. alt.	Diebus alternis	on alternate days.
Dim.	Dimidius	one-half.
Div.	Divide	divide.
D. in p. æ.	Divide in partes æquales	divide into equal parts.
Exhib.	Exhibiatur	let it be given.
F. or ft.	Fiat	let it be made.
F. h.	Fiat haustus	make a draught.
F. m.	Fiat mistura	make a mixture.
F. pil.	Fiat pilula	make a pill.
Gutt.	Gutta or guttæ	drop or drops.
Habt.	Habeat	let him have.
Hor. intermed.	Horis intermediis	at intermediate hours.
H. s.	Horâ somni	at bedtime.
Ind.	Indies	daily.
Lat. dol.	Lateri dolenti	to the painful side.
Mit.	Mitte	send.
Mod. præscript.	Modo præscripto	in the manner directed.
O. m.	Omni mane	every morning.
Omn. bih.	Omni bihorâ	every two hours.
Omn. hor.	Omni horâ	every hour.
O. n.	Omni nocte	every night.
P. or pt.	Perstetur	continue.
Part. æq.	Partes æquales	equal parts.
P. r. n.	Pro re natâ	when required.
Q. l.	Quantum libet	as much as is requisite.
Q. s.	Quantum sufficit	a sufficient quantity.
Q. v.	Quantum volueris	at will.
	Recipe	take.
Rep.	Repetatur	let it be repeated.
Sing.	Singulorum	of each.
Sum.	Sumat or sumendum	let him take or let it be taken.
T. d.	Ter in die	three times a day.

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MUSICAL SIGNS AND ABBREVIATIONS.

Signs denoting time or relative value of sound:

Each of these notes represents twice the duration of sound of that which comes next in order. The sign to the right of each note indicates a rest or silence equal to its sound duration.

In time, the figure above a line drawn thus across the stave denotes the length of the pause in bars.

Accel. Accelerando. Gradually increasing the speed.

Adg^o or Ad^o. Adagio. Slow; also name given to a slow movement or piece.

Ad lib. Ad libitum. Passages so marked may be rendered at the will of the performer.

And. Andante. Moderately slow: graceful; sometimes used as the name of a movement or separate piece.

Anim^o. Animato. Animated: with soul.

A tem. A tempo. In time.

Bar. A line drawn perpendicularly across the stave, separating the notes into measures of equal length; also the music comprised within two such lines.—Double Bar. The former of the two signs is used to mark the larger divisions of a piece or movement; in psalm tunes, hymns, chants, &c., to mark the end of a verse or sentence. The latter sign denotes the end of a composition.

  Bind or Tie. Placed over two or more notes in the same position on the stave, to show they are to be played as one.

  Breath-marks. In vocal music, signs used to show where breath should be taken.

Denoting common time; the former indicating four crotchets to the bar, the latter two minims to the bar.

Cal. Calando. Gradually slower, and with decreasing volume of tone.

Clef. The sign placed at the beginning of a stave, determining the absolute pitch of the notes that follow it.

  Crescendo. Gradual increase of tone.

() Dash. When placed over or under a note, implies a very detached (staccato) style.

D.C. Da capo. From the beginning; indicating that the performer must return to the beginning of the movement, and conclude at the double bar marked Fine.

  Decrescendo. Gradually softer.

Dim. Diminuendo. Gradual decrease of tone.

(·) Dot. When added to a note or rest, lengthens it by one-half. When placed over or under a note, means that its duration should be cut short.

  Flat. The sign which lowers the pitch of a note one semitone.

  Double Flat. Used before a note already flat, lowering it another semitone. It is corrected by a flat and a natural.

f. Forte. Loudly: strongly.

ff. Fortissimo. Very loud.

fff. Fortississimo. As loud as possible.

f.p. Forte-piano. Loud, then soft.

Leg. Legato. In a smooth and gliding manner.

Lo. Loco. Indicating to return to the proper pitch after having played an octave higher.

mf. or mff. Mezzo-forte. Moderately loud.

mp. Mezzo-piano. Moderately soft.

Manc. Mancando. Dying away, decreasing.

Marc. Marcato. In a marked manner, emphasised.

M.M. Maelzel's metronome.

M.M. =80. Denoting that the beat of a crotchet is equal to the pulse of the pendulum of Maelzel's metronome, with the weight set at 80.

  Natural. Restores a note, which has been raised by the sharp or lowered by the flat, to its original pitch.

Ott., O^va, 8^va=Ottava. An octave—as 8^va alta=ottava alta, (to be played) an octave higher; 8^va bas. = ottava bassa, an octave lower.

p. Piano. Softly.

P.F. or pf. Piano-forte. Soft, then loud.

pp. Pianissimo. Very soft.

ppp. Pianississimo. As softly as possible.

  Pause or Corona. When placed over a note or rest, indicates that it must be held longer than its natural length. When over a double bar, indicates where the piece is to be concluded after a repeat.

Pizz. Pizzicato. A direction to violinists to twang the string with the finger instead of using the bow.

Quintuplet. A group of five notes played in the time of four.

4^tte Quartette.

5^tte Quintette.

Raddol. Raddolcendo. Gradually softer and sweeter.

Rall. Rallentando. Becoming gradually slower.

Repeat. When placed at the beginning and end of a passage or movement, indicates that the portion so marked is to be played over again.

Rit. Ritardando. Retarding, holding back the time.

  Segno. The sign—as Al Segno, to the sign; Dal Segno, from the sign.

Sem., Semp. Sempre. Always, throughout—as sempre legato, smooth throughout; sempre ritardando, continually slackening the time.

7^tte Septet.

6^tte Sextet, or Sestet.

  Sforzando. Denoting emphasis applied to a particular note or notes. Abbreviated sf., sfz.

  Sforzato-piano. A sudden forte followed by a diminuendo or piano. Abbreviated sfp., sfz.p.

  Sharp. The sign which raises the pitch of a note one semitone.

  Double Sharp. Used before a note already sharp, raising the pitch by a semitone. It is contradicted by a natural and a sharp.

Slur. Showing that the notes over which it is placed must be played in a smooth (legato) manner.

Sos., Sos^t. Sostenuto. Sustained; prolonging the tone for the full duration of time indicated.

Spir. Spiritoso. In a spirited or lively manner.

Stave or Staff. The horizontal and parallel lines on which the notes are placed, used to indicate their relative position as regards pitch.

Trem. Tremolando. With trembling or wavering; a note or chord played with great rapidity so as to produce such an effect.

3^o Trio.

Triplet. A group of three notes performed in the time of two.

T.S. Tasto solo. One key alone: a direction to play a part in unison.