| Cautery | n.; pl. Cauteries [ L. cauterium, Gr. &unr_;. See Cauter. ] 1. (Med.) A burning or searing, as of morbid flesh, with a hot iron, or by application of a caustic that will burn, corrode, or destroy animal tissue. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. The iron of other agent in cauterizing. [ 1913 Webster ]
Actual cautery, a substance or agent (as a hot iron) which cauterizes or sears by actual heat; or the burning so effected. --
Potential cautery, a substance which cauterizes by chemical action; as, lunar caustic; also, the cauterizing produced by such substance. [ 1913 Webster ]
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