Category: B
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Bout
A sudden attack of a disease, especially one which recurs.
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Bougie
A thin tube which can be inserted into passages in the body such as the oesophagus or rectum, either to allow liquid to be introduced or to dilate the passage. A slender, cylindrical instrument inserted into tubular body passages. A bougie may be rigid or flexible, hollow or solid. Bougies are commonly used to dilate…
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Botulinum toxin
A poison produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum and used, in small doses, to treat muscular cramps and spasms. The toxin of the anaerobic bacterium clostridium botulinum is now routinely used to treat focal dystonias in adults. These include blepharospasm, spasmodic tortiollis, muscular spasms of the face, squint and some types of tremor. Injected close…
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Bottom shuffling
The process by which a baby who cannot yet walk moves around by moving itself along on its hands and buttocks.
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Bottom
The part of the body on which you sit. The anus (informal).
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Bottle feeding
The act of giving a baby milk from a bottle, as opposed to breast feeding. Supplying an infant with nutrients in a modified milk or milk like fluid called formula, fed through a bottle with a nipple similar to that of a breast. Public health experts recommend breastfeeding where possible, because the mother’s milk provides…
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Bottle-fed
Referring to a baby which is fed from a bottle.
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Born
To begin to live outside the mother’s uterus.
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Bordetella
A bacterium of the family Brucellaceae. One of the parvobacteria, the genus Bordetella has only one species, Bord. pertussis, the causative organism of whooping cough. The small Gram-negative organisms are cultivable on special media such as those of Lacey, Bordet – Gengou or charcoal agar, giving small pearly colonies after 2 -3 days’ incubation. Freshly…
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Borax
A white powder used as a household cleaner and disinfectant. A mild astringent with a weak antiseptic action, applied externally to skin and mucous membranes. Borax and boric acid are used in mouth and nasal washes, gargles, eye lotions and contact-lens solutions, and in dusting powder. Side effects from external application are rare; most reported…