In the 1970 edition of Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, the term vegetative state or persistent vegetative state is not to be found. The definition of coma is: "An abnormal deep stupor occurring in illness, or as a result of it, or it may be due to an injury. The patient cannot be aroused by stimuli." Tbaer's p.C-72 The 1982 edition of Stedman's Medical Dictionary has a similar definition for coma and nothing at all on vegetative state or persistent vegetative state.
Terri Schindler-Schiavo is not in a coma, obviously, since she is responsive to stimuli and has followed simple directions given to her. I'm trying to find a Medical Dictionary that actually lists PVS and then find when this term entered the regular medical vocabulary.
An imprecise term indicating a patient who was previously comatose, but whose eyes are now open and give the appearance that he or she is awake. It is properly characterized as a severe dementia due to global damage to the cerebral cortex. THERE IS COMPLETE INABILITY TO RESPOND TO STIMULI OR TO COMMUNICATE.