426 Where There Is No Doctor 2011
Pollen The fine dust made in the flower of a seed
plant. People who are allergic to pollen often have
hay fever at times of the year when plants put a lot of
this dust into the air.
Postpartum After childbirth.
Postpartum hemorrhaging Heavy bleeding of the
mother following childbirth.
Power of suggestion or power of belief The
influence of belief or strong ideas. For example,
sick people can feel better because they have faith
in a remedy, even if the remedy does not have any
medical effect.
Precaution Care taken in advance to prevent harm
or prepare for emergencies before they happen.
Pre-eclampsia A dangerous condition during
pregnancy, which can lead to seizures.
Pregnancy The period (normally 9 months) when a
woman carries a child inside her.
Premature baby A baby born before the full 9
months of pregnancy and weighing less than 2 kilos.
Presentation of an arm An abnormal position of
delivery in which the baby’s hand comes out first
during the birth. This is an emergency needing a
doctor.
Prevention Action taken to stop sickness before it
starts.
Prolapse The slipping or falling down of a part of
the body from its normal position; for example, a
prolapsed rectum or womb.
Prophylactic The word prophylactic means
preventive, but condoms are sometimes called
prophylactics.
Prostate gland A firm, muscular gland at the
base of the man’s urinary tube, or urethra. Often in
older men the prostate becomes enlarged, causing
difficulty in urinating.
Protective foods Foods that are rich in vitamins and
minerals. They help build healthy bodies and make
people more able to resist or fight diseases.
Proteins Body-building foods necessary for proper
growth and strength.
Pterygium A fleshy growth that slowly extends from
the edge of the eye onto the cornea.
Pulse The number of times a person’s heart beats in
one minute.
Pupil The round opening or black center in the iris
of the eye. It gets smaller in bright light and larger in
the dark.
Purge A very strong laxative that causes diarrhea.
R
Rate The number of times something happens in a
given amount of time.
Rebound pain A very sharp pain in the abdomen
that occurs after the belly is pressed firmly and
slowly, when the hand is removed suddenly. This pain
is a sign of an acute abdomen.
Rectum The end of the large intestine close to the
anus.
Reflex An automatic reaction or movement that
happens without a person’s trying to do it.
Rehydration Drink A drink to correct dehydration,
which you can make with boiled water, salt, and
sugar or powdered cereal.
Resistance The ability of something to defend itself
against something that would normally harm or kill
it. Many bacteria become resistant to the effects of
certain antibiotics.
Resource What is needed or available for doing or
making something. People, land, animals, money,
skills, and plants are resources that can be used for
improving health.
Respiration Breathing. The respiratory system
includes the bronchi, lungs, and other organs used in
breathing.
Respiration rate The number of times a person
breathes in one minute.
Retardation Abnormal slowness of though, action,
or mental and emotional growth.
Rhinitis An inflammation of the lining of the nose,
often caused by allergies. Hay fever.
Risk The possibility of injury, loss, or harm. Danger.
Rotation of crops To grow different crops one after
the other in the same field, so that the soil becomes
richer rather than weaker from year to year.
Rupture See Hernia.