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| op·is·tho·to·nus [ òppiss thótt'nəss ] |
noun |
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| Definition: |
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extreme backward arching of the spine: a powerful spasm of the muscles that straighten the vertebral column, causing the body to arch backward until the heels nearly touch the head. Opisthotonus occurs in untreated tetanus, strychnine poisoning, and some cases of severe meningitis.
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| [Mid-17th century. Via late Latin< Greek opisthotonos "drawn backward"] |
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