Dictionary

wormwood The plant whose essence forms the basis of absinthe, a dangerous emerald-green liqueur. See also absinthe.

WPW syndrome Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.

wrist The part of the hand that is nearest the forearm and consists of the carpal bones and the associated soft tissues. The eight carpal bones are arranged in two rows. One row of carpal bones joins the long bones of the forearm (the radius, and, indirectly, the ulna). Another row of carpal bones meets…

writer’s cramp See cramp, writer’s.

wryneck See torticollis, congenital.

welt See hive.

Werner syndrome A premature aging disease that begins in adolescence or early adulthood and results in apparent old age by 30–40 years of age. Characteristic features include short stature, premature graying, early baldness, wizened face, beaked nose, cataracts, skin changes reminiscent of those in scleroderma, deposits of calcium beneath the skin, premature arteriosclerosis, and a…

Werner-His disease See trench fever.

West Nile virus A febrile disease that is transmitted from birds to mosquitoes and then to people by mosquito bites. The virus is named after the area in which it was first found, in Uganda. West Nile virus occurs in parts of Africa and Asia and, infrequently, in Southern Europe, the Middle East, and the…

Western blot A technique in molecular biology that is used to separate and identify particular proteins.

WF Medical shorthand for white female.

Wharton’s jelly A gelatinous substance that provides insulation and protection within the umbilical cord. Stem cells are present in Wharton’s jelly, as well as in umbilical cord blood.