← Latin for Medics, Pharmacists and Herbalists
Introduction: The preposition "per" takes the accusative case and indicates movement through space, duration through time, or means by which something is done. This lesson will focus on medical and pharmaceutical contexts.
29.1 medicus the doctor per through vēnās the veins sanguinem the blood exāminat examines
29.2 herbārius the herbalist per through hortum the garden ambulat walks
29.3 medicāmentum the medicine per through corpus the body fluit flows
29.4 morbum the disease per by means of herbās herbs cūrat he treats
29.5 venenum the poison per through intestīna the intestines serpit creeps
29.6 remedia remedies per through cutem the skin penetrant penetrate
29.7 dolor pain per through nervōs the nerves sentitur is felt
29.8 medicus the doctor per by means of instrumenta instruments vulnus the wound cūrat treats
29.9 succus juice per through ōs the mouth bibitur is drunk
29.10 vīta life per through pulmōnēs the lungs spīrat breathes
29.11 pharmacopōla the pharmacist per by means of librōs books medicāmenta medicines discit learns about
29.12 medicus the doctor per through artēriās the arteries pulsum the pulse sentit feels
29.13 aeger the patient per through noctem the night dormit sleeps
29.14 sanguis blood per through corpus the body fluit flows
29.15 curātiō the treatment per through diēs days multos many dūrat lasts
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29.1 Per vēnās sanguinem medicus exāminat. The doctor examines the blood through the veins.
29.2 Herbārius per hortum ambulat. The herbalist walks through the garden.
29.3 Medicāmentum per corpus fluit. The medicine flows through the body.
29.4 Morbum per herbās cūrat. He treats the disease by means of herbs.
29.5 Per intestīna venenum serpit. The poison creeps through the intestines.
29.6 Per cutem remedia penetrant. The remedies penetrate through the skin.
29.7 Per nervōs dolor sentitur. Pain is felt through the nerves.
29.8 Medicus vulnus per instrumenta cūrat. The doctor treats the wound by means of instruments.
29.9 Per ōs succus bibitur. The juice is drunk through the mouth.
29.10 Per pulmōnēs vīta spīrat. Life breathes through the lungs.
29.11 Pharmacopōla per librōs medicāmenta discit. The pharmacist learns about medicines through books.
29.12 Per artēriās medicus pulsum sentit. The doctor feels the pulse through the arteries.
29.13 Per noctem aeger dormit. The patient sleeps through the night.
29.14 Per corpus sanguis fluit. Blood flows through the body.
29.15 Per diēs multōs curātiō dūrat. The treatment lasts through many days.
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29.1 Per vēnās sanguinem medicus exāminat.
29.2 Herbārius per hortum ambulat.
29.3 Medicāmentum per corpus fluit.
29.4 Morbum per herbās cūrat.
29.5 Per intestīna venenum serpit.
29.6 Per cutem remedia penetrant.
29.7 Per nervōs dolor sentitur.
29.8 Medicus vulnus per instrumenta cūrat.
29.9 Per ōs succus bibitur.
29.10 Per pulmōnēs vīta spīrat.
29.11 Pharmacopōla per librōs medicāmenta discit.
29.12 Per artēriās medicus pulsum sentit.
29.13 Per noctem aeger dormit.
29.14 Per corpus sanguis fluit.
29.15 Per diēs multōs curātiō dūrat.
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The preposition "per" requires several key grammatical points for English speakers to understand: -
Case Usage: -
"per" always takes the accusative case -
This differs from English "through" which doesn't change the form of following nouns -
Word Order: -
"per" typically comes directly before its object -
Unlike English, where "through" can sometimes be separated from its object -
Common Uses in Medical Latin: -
Physical movement through space (per vēnās - through the veins) -
Duration of time (per noctem - through the night) -
Means or instrument (per herbās - by means of herbs) -
Important Declensions with "per": First Declension (feminine): -
vēna → per vēnās (through the veins) -
artēria → per artēriās (through the arteries)
Second Declension (masculine/neuter): -
hortus → per hortum (through the garden) -
instrumentum → per instrumenta (through the instruments)
Third Declension (various genders): -
corpus → per corpus (through the body) -
pulmo → per pulmōnēs (through the lungs)
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For English speakers learning medical Latin, understanding "per" requires cultural context: -
Ancient Medical Practice: -
Romans understood the body as a system of channels -
Treatments often focused on movement through these channels -
Galen's theory of humors flowing through the body -
Historical Development: -
Etymology from Proto-Indo-European *per- (forward, through) -
Connection to modern medical terminology -
Survival in English medical terms (e.g., "per os" - by mouth) -
Medical Documentation: -
Still used in modern prescriptions -
Standard abbreviations (p.o. = per ōs) -
Important in anatomical descriptions -
Modern Medical Usage: -
Route of administration terminology -
Anatomical pathway descriptions -
Duration of treatment specifications
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From Celsus' "De Medicina" (Book 1, Chapter 3):
Part F-A (Interleaved Text)
Sanguinis of blood prōfluvium the flow per through quaedam certain medicāmenta medicines sistimus we stop, per through alia other vulnus a wound glūtināmus we close
"Sanguinis prōfluvium per quaedam medicāmenta sistimus, per alia vulnus glūtināmus." We stop the flow of blood through certain medicines, through others we close the wound.
Celsus describes basic medical procedures using "per" to indicate the means by which treatments are administered. The parallel structure emphasizes different medicinal applications.
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"per" takes accusative "medicāmenta" and "alia" -
Parallel structure with repeated "per" -
Present tense verbs "sistimus" and "glūtināmus" -
Medical vocabulary typical of Celsus
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29.16 pharmacopōla the pharmacist per through colum the strainer herbās the herbs cōlat strains
29.17 succus the juice per through linteum linen cloth pūrgātur is purified
29.18 medicus the doctor per by means of pilulās pills morbum the disease cūrat treats
29.19 vīnum wine per through hōrās hours trēs three medicātum medicated stat stands
29.20 herbae herbs per through aquam water calefactam heated īnfunduntur are infused
29.21 oleum oil per through diēs days decem ten mācerandum must be macerated est is
29.22 medicāmentum the medicine per through cochlear a spoon sumitur is taken
29.23 unguentum the ointment per through cutem the skin absorbētur is absorbed
29.24 mixūra the mixture per through hōram an hour coquitur is cooked
29.25 tinctura the tincture per through diēs days septem seven īnfunditur is infused
29.26 syrupus the syrup per through calōrem heat dēnsātur is thickened
29.27 remedium the remedy per through guttur the throat īnstillātur is dropped in
29.28 decoctum the decoction per through hōrās hours quattuor four bullat boils
29.29 pulvis the powder per through mortārium the mortar teritur is ground
29.30 emplastrum the plaster per through calōrem heat mollēscit softens
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29.16 Per colum herbās pharmacopōla cōlat. The pharmacist strains the herbs through the strainer.
29.17 Per linteum succus pūrgātur. The juice is purified through linen cloth.
29.18 Medicus morbum per pilulās cūrat. The doctor treats the disease by means of pills.
29.19 Vīnum medicātum per hōrās trēs stat. The medicated wine stands for three hours.
29.20 Per aquam calefactam herbae īnfunduntur. The herbs are infused through heated water.
29.21 Oleum per diēs decem mācerandum est. The oil must be macerated for ten days.
29.22 Per cochlear medicāmentum sumitur. The medicine is taken through a spoon.
29.23 Per cutem unguentum absorbētur. The ointment is absorbed through the skin.
29.24 Mixūra per hōram coquitur. The mixture is cooked for an hour.
29.25 Per diēs septem tinctura īnfunditur. The tincture is infused for seven days.
29.26 Syrupus per calōrem dēnsātur. The syrup is thickened by means of heat.
29.27 Per guttur remedium īnstillātur. The remedy is dropped in through the throat.
29.28 Decoctum per hōrās quattuor bullat. The decoction boils for four hours.
29.29 Per mortārium pulvis teritur. The powder is ground through the mortar.
29.30 Per calōrem emplastrum mollēscit. The plaster softens through heat.
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29.16 Per colum herbās pharmacopōla cōlat.
29.17 Per linteum succus pūrgātur.
29.18 Medicus morbum per pilulās cūrat.
29.19 Vīnum medicātum per hōrās trēs stat.
29.20 Per aquam calefactam herbae īnfunduntur.
29.21 Oleum per diēs decem mācerandum est.
29.22 Per cochlear medicāmentum sumitur.
29.23 Per cutem unguentum absorbētur.
29.24 Mixūra per hōram coquitur.
29.25 Per diēs septem tinctura īnfunditur.
29.26 Syrupus per calōrem dēnsātur.
29.27 Per guttur remedium īnstillātur.
29.28 Decoctum per hōrās quattuor bullat.
29.29 Per mortārium pulvis teritur.
29.30 Per calōrem emplastrum mollēscit.
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In this pharmaceutical context, "per" demonstrates several important grammatical patterns: -
Time Expressions: -
Duration of processes (per hōrās, per diēs) -
Specific time periods for pharmaceutical preparations -
Use with cardinal numbers (trēs, quattuor, septem, decem) -
Instrumental Uses: -
Physical instruments (per colum, per mortārium) -
Methods of administration (per cochlear) -
Means of preparation (per calōrem) -
Passive Voice Constructions: -
Common in pharmaceutical instructions -
Examples: pūrgātur, īnfunduntur, sumitur, absorbētur -
Agent often omitted as focus is on process -
Technical Vocabulary: -
Pharmaceutical terms in accusative after per -
Names of equipment and processes -
Measurement terminology -
Word Order Patterns: -
Per + accusative often at sentence beginning for emphasis -
Process-focused structure -
Time expressions typically near end of phrase
This specialized use of "per" in pharmaceutical Latin continues to influence modern medical and pharmaceutical terminology.
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