obtundent, a. and n. Med.
(əbˈtʌndənt)
[ad. L. obtundent-em, pr. pple. of obtundĕre to obtund.]
a. adj. Having the property of dulling sensibility. b. n. A substance used to dull sensibility or allay irritation; a demulcent.
| [1753 Chambers Cycl. Supp., Obtundentia, a word used by some authors to express such medicines as are given to obtund, or edulcorate the acrimony of the humors.] 1842 Brande Dict. Sci., &c., Obtundents, mucilaginous, oily and other bland medicines, supposed to sheathe parts from acrimony, and to blunt that of certain morbid secretions. 1864 Webster cites Forsyth. 1891 Cent. Dict., Obtundent, I. a. Dulling; blunting. 1898 H. H. Burchard Text-bk. Dental Path. & Therapeutics vii. 538 Under the head of obtundents are included those agents which are applied locally to benumb the terminals of sensory nerves. 1908 J. D. Patterson in C. N. Johnson Text-bk. Operative Dentistry xxviii. 460 Obtundents. For the purpose of obtunding, many preparations have been advocated and many methods advised. 1930 W. H. O. McGehee Text-bk. Operative Dentistry xxiv. 700 An Obtundent Paste devised by Doctor J. Lewis Blass..used with splendid results. 1961 MacDougall & Nixon Guide to Dental Therapeutics viii. 115 When drugs are applied locally to relieve pain, they are referred to as local anaesthetics or obtundents. |