| history | Origin: L.historia, Gr. 'istoria history, information, inquiry, fr. 'istwr, "istwr, knowing, learned, from the root of to know; akin to E. Wit. See Wit, and cf. Story. 1. A learning or knowing by inquiry; the knowledge of facts and events, so obtained; hence, a formal statement of such information; a narrative; a description; a written record; as, the history of a patient's case; the history of a legislative bill. 2. A systematic, written account of events, particularly of those affecting a nation, institution, science, or art, and usually connected with a philosophical explanation of their causes; a true story, as distinguished from a romance; distinguished also from annals, which relate simply the facts and events of each year, in strict chronological order; from biography, which is the record of an individual's life; and from memoir, which is history composed from personal experience, observation, and memory. "Histories are as perfect as the historian is wise, and is gifted with an eye and a soul." (Carlyle) "For aught that I could ever read, Could ever hear by tale or history." (Shak) "What histories of toil could I declare!" (Pope) History piece, a representation in painting, drawing, etc, of any real event, including the actors and the action. Natural history, a description and classification of objects in nature, as minerals, plants, animals, etc, and the phenomena which they exhibit to the senses. Synonym: Chronicle, annals, relation, narration. History, Chronicle, Annals. History is a methodical record of important events which concern a community of men, usually so arranged as to show the connection of causes and effects, to give an analysis of motive and action etc. A chronicle is a record of such events, conforming to the order of time as its distinctive feature. Annals are a chronicle divided up into separate years. By poetic license annals is sometimes used for history. "Justly Caesar scorns the poet's lays; It is to history he trusts for praise." (Pope) "No more yet of this; For 't is a chronicle of day by day, Not a relation for a breakfast." (Shak) "Many glorious examples in the annals of our religion." (Rogers) Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
|---|---|
| history of medicine, ancient | The period of the history of medicine before 500 a.d. (12 Dec 1998) |
| history of medicine, early modern | The period of the history of medicine from 1451 through 1600 a.d. History of medicine, 15th cent. And history of medicine, 16th cent. Are also available. (12 Dec 1998) |
| history of medicine, medieval | The period of the history of medicine from 500 through 1450 a.d. (12 Dec 1998) |
| history of medicine, modern | The period of the history of medicine from 1601 a.d. To the present. (12 Dec 1998) |
| reproductive history | An important aggregate factor in epidemiological studies of women's health. The concept usually includes the number and timing of pregnancies and their outcomes, the incidence of breast feeding, and may include age of menarche and menopause, regularity of menstruation, fertility, gynecological or obstetric problems, or contraceptive usage. (12 Dec 1998) |
|---|---|
| colon cancer, family history of | Colorectal cancer can run in families. The colon cancer risk is higher if an immediate (first-degree) family member (parents, siblings or children) had colorectal cancer and even higher if more than one such relative had colorectal cancer or if a family member developed the cancer at young age (younger than 55 years). Under any of these circumstances, individuals are recommended to undergo a colonoscopy every three years starting at an age that is 7-10 years younger than when the youngest family member with the cancer wasdiagnosed. For example, if a parent had colon cancer diagnosed at age 50, colonoscopy should start in that person's children at 40-43 years of age. (12 Dec 1998) |
| natural history | A former branch of knowledge embracing the study, description, and classification of natural objects (as animals, plants, and minerals) and thus including the modern sciences of zoology, botany, and mineralogy insofar as they existed at that time. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries it was much used for the generalised pursuit of certain areas of science. (webster, 3d ed; from dr. James h. Cassedy, nlm history of medicine division) (12 Dec 1998) |
| family history | The medical history of your immediate blood relatives (mother, father, grandparents and siblings) (27 Sep 1997) |