Glossary

parasite – an animal or plant that get nutrients and support by living on another species.

TD (or tid) – a short hand term for medication dosing that means ‘take three times a day’.

See also q8H.

placenta – the placenta is a temporary organ that develops in pregnancy and joins the mother and foetus. The placenta acts as a filter. It transfers oxygen and nutrients from the mother to the foetus, and takes away carbon dioxide and waste products. The placenta is full of blood vessels.

The placenta is expelled from the mother’s body after the baby is born and it is no longer needed. It is sometimes called the afterbirth.

even distribution – where most results are in the middle and a roughly similar number of results fall either side. Also called bell-shaped or ‘normal’ distribution.

encephalopathy – degenerative brain function or disease