Lexic.us

Definition of Menstruum

1. Noun. (archaic) a solvent.

2. Noun. The monthly discharge of blood from the uterus of nonpregnant women from puberty to menopause. "The semen begins to appear in males and to be emitted at the same time of life that the catamenia begin to flow in females"

Definition of Menstruum

1. n. Any substance which dissolves a solid body; a solvent.

Definition of Menstruum

1. Noun. Any solvent used for extracting medicinal compounds from plants etc. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Menstruum

1. a solvent [n -TRUA or -TRUUMS] - See also: solvent

Medical Definition of Menstruum

1. Origin: L. Menstruus. See Menstruous. Any substance which dissolves a solid body; a solvent. "The proper menstruum to dissolve metal." (Bacon) "All liquors are called menstruums which are used as dissolvents, or to extract the virtues of ingredients by infusion or decoction." (Quincy) The use is supposed to have originated in some notion of the old chemists about the influence of the moon in the preparation of dissolvents. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Menstruum

mensual mensurabilities mensurability mensurable mensural mensuralism mensuralist mensurate mensurated mensurates

mensurating mensuration mensurational

Literary usage of Menstruum

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. American Druggist (1891)
"previous apparent exhaustion of the drug when the menstruum was changed to alcohol ... The menstruum that followed this (alcohol 2 parts, water 1 part) gave ..."

2. Principles of Pharmacy by Henry Vinecome Arny (1909)
"After the drug is packed in the percolator and enough menstruum has been poured in fully to penetrate the drug and to begin dropping from the percolator, ..."

3. A Treatise on Pharmacy for Students and Pharmacists by Charles Caspari, Evander Francis Kelly (1920)
"If it requires 10 liters of menstruum to exhaust completely the drug in A, ... If 5 liters of menstruum be now poured upon the column of drug in B, ..."

4. Proceedings of the American Pharmaceutical Association at the Annual Meeting by American Pharmaceutical Association, National Pharmaceutical Convention, American Pharmaceutical Association Meeting (1888)
"Then continue the percolation with the same menstruum until the drug is practically exhausted. Evaporate this second portion—at a temperature sufficiently ..."

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