Path. Also 6 sphacilus. [med. or mod.L., ad. Gr. σφάκελος gangrene, etc. Cf. It. sfacelo, Sp. and Pg. esfacelo, F. sphacèle SPHACEL.]
1. Necrosis, mortification; an instance of this.
1575. Banister, Chyrurg., III. (1585), 488. If the malice of this ulcer … fall a creeping, it turneth to Sphacilus.
1600. Surflet, Countrie Farme, II. xlii. 256. The flying fire, the ringworme, the leprosie, the Gangrena, and Sphacelus.
1612. Woodall, Surg. Mate, Wks. (1653), 379. A Gangrene is ever the forerunner of a Sphacelus.
1728. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., The Sphacelus is distinguished by the Lividness or Blackness of the Part affected.
1782. W. Heberden, Comment., xxxi. (1806), 154. Ending fatally in a sphacelus of the bowels.
1813. J. Thomson, Lect. Inflam., 519. Gangrene, gangrenous inflammation, or inflammation which shows a tendency to terminate in sphacelus.
1878. T. Bryant, Pract. Surg., I. 570. General inflammation of the pulp, following sooner or later on the previous condition and resulting in its sphacelus.
2. A mass of mortified tissue; a slough.
1880. A. Flint, Princ. Med., 52. A necrosed mass of tissue is called a sphacelus or slough.
1899. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., VI. 575. The sphacelus becomes black, dry and hard.
