[radikal]

Pathology is not a new word! This word already finds a place in Sanskrit. It mentions about sixteen types of pathology. This identifies the diseases caused to the living being irrespective of Human or animal , birds and reptiles.
, ni-ddna, am, n. a band, a rope, a halter ; a rope for tying up a calf &c. ; a first or original cause, a primary or remote cause [cf. ni-bandhana] ; original form, essence, (iniddnena, ind. originally, essentially, properly) ;the cause of a disease, inquiry into the causes of disease, pathology, i. e. study of the symptoms with a view to trace the remote or proximate causes, (regarded as a department of medical science ; the sixteen NidSnas being the title of the sixteen divisions into which it is divided ; cf. niddna-sthdna) ; N. of a work on metres and Vedic Stomas (see niddnasutra) ; end, termination, cessation ; purification, purity, correctness ; claiming the reward of penitential acts. Nidina-rat, an, ati, at, Ved. Founded on a cause, essential. Niddna-sutra, am, n. a work in ten Prapathakas on metres and Vedic Stomas

Niddna-ethdna, am, n. one of the five departments of medical science, inquiry into the causes of diseases, pathology.

In olden days the Bacteria were identified as a head of an animal. Goat, Buffalo etc., and the medicine that employed were known with dogs head.

In modern medical world it plays an important place in curing all diseases.