Hektoen International

A Journal of Medical Humanities

Tag: The British Museum

  • Orthoses, prostheses, and splints

    JMS PearceHull, England These common words are sometimes confused. Orthosis is a term first used in English in 1857, from the Greek ὄρθωσις—“making straight.” It is a device that supports or assists residual function after illness or injury. Prosthesis is a Latin word derived from the ancient Greek πρόσθεσις, meaning “addition.” Like many words, its…