Glossary
P
post box
Physical box for public and private use, used to collect outgoing mail
post mortem
A medical procedure that consists of an examination to discover the cause and manner of a death.
poster
Notice, usually printed on paper, intended to be posted to advertise, promote, or publicise an activity, cause, product, or service; also, decorative, mass-produced prints intended for hanging.
post-traumatic stress disorder
PTSD can start after any traumatic event causing nightmares, flashbacks, headaches and an inability to relax. PTSD has debilitating and even fatal consequences including depression, aggression and suicide.
pot - container
Cylindrical or rounded container, often of metal or earthenware, of varying size; used chiefly for domestic purposes.
pot lid
Cover which is usually hinged or otherwise attached to a container.
poultice
A soft moist mass that is spread on cloth and applied over the skin to treat an aching or inflamed part of the body.
pounce box
A small box with a perforated top, formerly used to sprinkle sand or pounce on writing paper to dry the ink of a letter.
pram
a wheeled carriage for a baby, pushed by a person on foot.
prayer board
A board placed on a wall in a religious place of worship. Prayers are written down and submitted by members of the church.
prayer flag
(especially in Tibetan Buddhism) a flag on which prayers are inscribed.
prayer wheel
Cylindrical box often wooden, usually vertically mounted with external inscription or containing a mantra script. Used as an aid to meditation, with each revolution of the box being equal to the reciting of the religious text. Used in Buddism and common in Tibet.
pre and post natal detector
Diagnostic instrument designed by Michele Clements to detect pre and post natal hearing and limb movements, heart rates and breathing rates in newborns
pregnancy
The condition of having a developing unborn embryo or foetus in the body. A human pregnancy is usually of 40 weeks gestation.
premature birth
The birth of a baby before 37 weeks (259 days) of pregnancy.
prenatal screening
Tests carried out to estimate whether a foetus is developing typically or shows signs of a possible medical condition.
prints
Pictorial works produced by transferring images by means of a matrix such as a plate, block, or screen, using any of various printing processes. When emphasizing the individual printed image, use "impressions." Avoid the controversial expression "original prints," except in reference to discussions of the expression's use. If prints are neither "reproductive prints" nor "popular prints," use just "prints." With regard to photographs, use "photographic prints"; for types of reproductions of technical drawings and documents, use terms found under "<reprographic copies>."
prize medal
medal awarded to commemorate an achievement.
probang
A long, slender, flexible rod having a tuft or sponge at the end, used to remove foreign bodies from or apply medication to the larynx or asophagus
probe
medical tool used during diagnostic process