The neologism omicron nu tau omicron iota in Broussais's condemnation of medical ontology

Abstract

This note uses an analysis of Broussais's objection to medical ontology to suggest why Broussais's neologism omicron nu tau omicron iota is derived not from omicron nu tau alpha but from a conflation of omicron nu tau alpha and the plural of omicron gamma kappa omicron sigma. For Broussais medical ontology, in contrast to philosophical ontology, always refers to abstract entities alleged to explain sensible symptoms, omicron gamma kappa omicron iota, in the sense of indivisible particles in the writings of Lucretius and Epicurus, are such particles; omicron nu tau alpha are not.