Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Serperastrum

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rich, Anthony (1849). The illustrated companion to the Latin dictionary, and Greek lexicon. p. vi. OCLC 894670115. https://archive.org/details/illustratedcompa00rich. 

SERPERAS'TRUM. A sort of splint or other contrivance fastened to the knees of infants for the purpose of keeping their legs straight, and counteracting any tendency to distortion (Varro, L. L. ix. 11.); whence Cicero gives the name allusively to the officers of his cohort (Att. vii. 3.), because it was their duty to keep the army in order.