Glossary
C
certificate
Documents giving authoritative recognition of a fact, qualification, or promise
cervical cap
A barrier form of contraception. It consists of a thimble-shaped device which fits tightly over the entrance of the cervix. It blocks sperm from entering the uterus and thereby prevents fertilisation. Popular since the mid-1800s, their use has dropped dramatically in recent years.
cervix
Neck of the uterus, projecting downwards into the vagina.
chamber pot
Bowl-shaped container with a handle, used as a urinal at night. Chamber pots remained in common use until the 1900s when inside water closets replaced them. They are still used in countries where indoor plumbing is rare.
charity
The noble act of voluntarily giving goods, money or time to those in need.
charm
An object kept or worn in a belief that it has magical powers to protect against harm or to bring good luck.
charm - spell
Written text of words said or chanted for magical effect. Used at magical ceremonies or arts; magic, sorcery, enchantment.
chart - graphic document
A tabular or graphic representation of a fluctuating or dependent variable, such as magnitude, temperature, cost, etc.
chastity belt
A garment which prevents the wearer from having sex.
chemical pathology
The branch of pathology that deals with the basis of diseases and measures substances in body fluids in order to aid diagnoses and treatment.
chemistry
The branch of science that studies substances which constitute matter with the aim of discovering their properties, how they react, and the uses and products of such reactions.
chemistry set
A set of scientific apparatus which allows the user to perform simple scientific experiments.
chest protector
A garment designed to protect the chest from injury. These are commonly worn when participating in hard contact sports or any other activity that carries a risk of injury.
chicken pox
A common, highly infectious and contagious childhood virus that results in an itchy red rash.
chilblains
A red itchy swelling that is caused when the skin is exposed to cold weather.
childcare
The caring for or supervising of a child or children.
chloroform
A liquid formerly used as a general anaesthetic although no longer used for this purpose as it causes liver damage and affects the heart rate. It is now used in low concentration to treat flatulence.
chloroform dropper bottle
bottle used to hold chloroform and administer a small dose
chloroform mask
mask used to administer chloroform, usually made from cloth
choler
Another word for yellow bile, one of the four humours - the fluids of the body whose balance was believed to be essential to well-being.