Latin has been an incredibly influential language in the development of modern medicine,

and studying the evolution of medical terminology provides an excellent example of how
languages change over time.

To start your investigation, you may want to begin with the earliest known medical texts,
such as those from ancient Greece and Rome. These texts would likely contain the earliest
Latin medical terms and provide insight into the origins of the words used today.

You could also look at translations and glossaries that were produced during the Middle
Ages when Latin was the language of scholarship and medicine. Many of the medical texts
from this period were translated from Greek, and the Latin versions would have introduced
new vocabulary to the language.

Another important aspect to consider is the role of Latin as a lingua franca in the medical
community. Latin was the language of the educated elite and served as a means of
communication between physicians from different regions and countries. As a result, Latin
medical terminology became standardized and remained in use long after Latin had ceased
to be a spoken language.

Regarding the use of Latin medical terms, it's important to note whether they replaced
existing synonyms or filled lexical gaps. For example, the Latin term "antibioticum" was
introduced to describe a new class of drugs that were effective against bacterial infections.
In this case, there was no existing synonym, and the Latin term filled a lexical gap.

Finally, you should consider the social history of Latin in the medical field. Who was using
Latin, and why? What happened when people started using English instead? Latin was the
language of the educated elite, and its use in medicine reflected the social hierarchy of the
time. As English became more prevalent, the use of Latin in the medical field gradually
declined, although many Latin medical terms remain in use today.

Overall, your topic offers a wealth of possibilities for exploring the evolution of language and
its role in the development of medicine. Good luck with your term paper!

? What are you going to study about them?

It is not enough to summarize their etymology from the OED,

but you could investigate the kinds of text or text genres in which medical terms are first
attested
translations?
glossaries?
general language?

you could check whether they replaced synonyms or filled lexical gaps and whether they
were loan words or rather foreign words, and you should probably consider social history:
who was using Latin to whom and why, and
what happened when people started using English?
There is a lot to investigate, so you need a very precise research question that defines what
you are and aren’t going to do.