| phlegm | 1. One of the four humors of which the ancients supposed the blood to be composed. See Humor. 2. <physiology> Viscid mucus secreted in abnormal quantity in the respiratory and digestive passages. 3. <chemistry> A watery distilled liquor, in distinction from a spirituous liquor. 4. Sluggishness of temperament; dullness; want of interest; indifference; coldness. "They judge with fury, but they write with phlegm." (Pope) Origin: F. Phlegme, flegme, L. Phlegma, fr. Gr. A flame, inflammation, phlegm, a morbid, clammy humor in the body, fr. To burn. Cf. Phlox, Flagrant, Flame, Bleak, and Fluminate. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| phlegmagogue | <medicine> A medicine supposed to expel phlegm. Origin: Gr. Carrying of phlegm; phlegm + to lead. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| phlegmasia | <medicine> An inflammation; more particularly, an inflammation of the internal organs. Phlegmasia dolens [NL], milk leg. Origin: NL, from Gr. See Phlegm. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| phlegmasia alba dolens | An extreme edematous swelling of the leg following childbirth, due to thrombosis of the iliofemoral veins. Synonym: leukophlegmasia dolens, milk leg, puerperal phlebitis, thrombotic phlegmasia, white leg. (05 Mar 2000) |
| phlegmasia cerulea dolens | Thrombosis of the veins of a limb, with sudden severe pain with swelling, cyanosis, and oedema of the part, followed by circulatory collapse and shock. (05 Mar 2000) |
| phlegmasia dolens | Inflammatory swelling of the leg, following childbirth, due to septic inflammation of the connective tissue. Synonym: phlegmasia dolens. (05 Mar 2000) |
| phlegmasia malabarica | <medicine> A disease of the skin, in which it become enormously thickened, and is rough, hard, and fissured, like an elephant's hide. Origin: L, fr. Gr, from, an elephant. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| phlegmatic | 1. Watery. "Aqueous and phlegmatic." 2. Abounding in phlegm; as, phlegmatic humors; a phlegmatic constitution. 3. Generating or causing phlegm. "Cold and phlegmatic habitations." 4. Not easily excited to action or passion; cold; dull; sluggish; heavy; as, a phlegmatic person. <physiology> Phlegmatic temperament, lymphatic temperament. See Lymphatic. Origin: L. Phlegmaticus, Gr., cf. F. Phlegmatique. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| phlegmon | 1. <dermatology> A spreading, diffuse inflammatory reaction to infection with microaerophilic streptococci, which forms a suppurative or gangrenous and undermining lesion that may extend into deep subcutaneous tissues and muscles, creating multiple small pockets of pus. Synonym: phlegmonous cellulitis. Compare: cellulitis, erysipelas. 2. <surgery> A solid, swollen, inflamed mass of pancreatic tissue occurring as a complication of acute pancreatitis, which may subside spontaneously or become secondarily infected and develop into an abscess. Origin: Gr. Phlegmon (13 Nov 1997) |
| phlegmonous | Denoting phlegmon. (05 Mar 2000) |
| phlegmonous abscess | Circumscribed suppuration characterised by intense surrounding inflammatory reaction which produces induration and thickening of the affected area. (05 Mar 2000) |
| phlegmonous cellulitis | An obsolete term for diffuse phlegmon. (05 Mar 2000) |
| phlegmonous enteritis | Severe acute inflammation of the intestine, with edematous bowel wall infiltrated with pus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| phlegmonous erysipelas | A form marked by invasion of the subcutaneous tissues, with the formation of deep-seated abscesses. (05 Mar 2000) |
| phlegmonous gastritis | <radiology> Aetiology: septicaemia, local abscess, postoperative stomach, complication of gastric ulcer/cancer, organism: streptococcus, symptoms: severe fulminant illness, may vomit pus, location: usually limited to stomach not extending beyond the pylorus, submucosa most severely affected gastric layer, XR: barium dissection into submucosa and serosa (12 Dec 1998) |