| poison oak | Poison oak is a form of contact dermatitis or inflammation of the skin resulting from chemicals produced from the poison oak plant contacting the skin. The chemicals cause an immune reaction producing redness, itching and blistering of the skin. (12 Dec 1998) |
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| poisoning | <radiobiology> Buildup of ash and impurities in a fusion plasma tends to reduce the quality of the plasma and reduce the fusion output, this sort of process is sometimes called poisioning the reactor or the plasma. See: ash, impurities. (09 Oct 1997) |
| poisonous | Characterised by, having the characteristics of, or containing a poison. Synonym: toxic, toxicant, toxiferous, venenous. (05 Mar 2000) |
| poisons | Substances which, when ingested, inhaled, or absorbed, or when applied to, injected into, or developed within the body in relatively small amounts may, by their chemical action, cause damage to structure or disturbance of function. (12 Dec 1998) |
| poisson distribution | <epidemiology> The distribution which arises when parasites are distributed at random amongst hosts. (05 Dec 1998) |
| Poisson, Simeon Denis | <person> French mathematician, 1781-1840. See: Poisson distribution, Poisson-Pearson formula. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Poisson-Pearson formula | A formula to determine the statistical error in calculating the endemic index of malaria: let N = total number of children under 15 years in a locality; n = total number examined for the spleen-rate; x = number found with enlarged spleen; (x/n)100 = spleen-rate; e% = percentage of error; the percentage error will be, by this formula: (05 Mar 2000) |
| Poitou colic | Severe colicky abdominal pain, with constipation, symptomatic of lead poisoning. Synonym: Devonshire colic, painter's colic, Poitou colic, saturnine colic. (05 Mar 2000) |