ACTH (adrenocorticotrophic hormone) or corticotrophin is a polypeptide hormone, secreted by the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland, that stimulates growth of the adrenal gland and the synthesis and secretion of corticosteroids. It is used in treating rheumatoid arthritis, allergic and skin diseases, and many other disorders. Research ACTH
Arthritis generally refers to the condition of inflamed joints that are stiff and painful. Heredity and physical stress to joints and bones seem to be the leading factors in the development of arthritis. Damage to joints and the cartilage surrounding them that fails to heal properly will usually lead to an arthritic condition. Although everyone feels stiffness and soreness in their joints from time to time, people with arthritis usually are in almost constant pain, and the condition tends to get progressively worse. In the worst cases, an arthritic condition can be crippling and cause deformities. By the age of 70, 85% of the population will suffer from arthritis to some degree. Even though there is no cure or prevention for arthritis, there are a wide variety of treatments to reduce the pain and impact of the condition. Research Arthritis
azathioprine is a synthetic drug that suppresses the normal immune responses of the body and is administered orally during and after organ transplantation and also in certain types of anaemia and rheumatoid arthritis. It has the formula C9H7N7O2S. Research Azathioprine
Brucellosis (Malta fever, Undulant Fever, Mediterranean Fever) is an infectious disease of cattle, goats, and pigs, caused by bacteria of the genusBrucella and transmittable to man, usually being conveyed by infected goat's milk. The disease causes long-continued irregular fever, with headache, muscular pains, joint pains, arthritis, anaemia, constipation and swelling of the spleen. It is common in the coastal districts of the Mediterranean, but occasionally occurs in England and elsewhere. The incubation period is about fifteen days, or up to twenty days, and the established disease often persists for six months or up to two years. The patient becomes much weakened and depressed, but the mortality rate is low. Research Brucellosis
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common disorder that causes pain, and interferes with the use of the hand. It is caused by pressure on the mediannerve as the nerve passes through a canal formed by the bones and ligaments in the wrist (the carpal tunnel). A wide variety of conditions can cause the carpal tunnel to narrow and put pressure on the mediannerve, including injuries, such as wrist fractures; arthritis complicated by swelling of the tendons in the carpal tunnel; pregnancy, which may cause the synovium around the tendons to thicken; and glandular abnormalities, such as diabetes and thyroid disorders. Work that involves repetitive wrist motions may also cause carpal tunnel syndrome. Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include pain and numbness in the thumb and in the index, middle, and ring fingers. Many people wake at night with these symptoms. Some sufferers experience weakness of hand muscles and may drop objects. Symptoms often occur when the wrist is flexed during such activities as driving a car or holding a book while reading.
Doctors treat carpal tunnel syndrome by attempting to improve the underlying condition. In many cases, doctors apply a splint to the wrist and prescribe anti-inflammatory medications. In some cases, surgery is performed to relieve symptoms and to prevent permanent damage to the mediannerve. Research Carpal tunnel syndrome
Choline magnesium trisalicylate is a drug used to treat arthritis; mild-to-moderate pain and fever. It has the possible side effects of: ringing in the ears and hearing loss, nausea, vomiting, gastric distress, hidden bleeding, rash, hypersensitivity manifested by shock and/or asthma. Research Choline Magnesium Trisalicylate
Cortisone is a glucocorticoid hormone, the synthetic form of which has been used in treating rheumatoid arthritis, allergic and skin diseases, leukaemia and other diseases. Research Cortisone
Dysentery is of two main types, namely bacillary and amebic, caused by different forms of infection, but in both there is inflammation of the mucousmembrane lining the lower or large bowel. The symptoms are those of enteritis and colitis, diarrhaea with small loose stools containing mucus and blood, abdominal tenderness, griping pain, and tenesmus during evacuation. Bacillary dysentery is a very infectious disease caused by various specific bacterial organisms (Sonne, Shiga and Flexner bacilli) which occur in impure water, contaminated food and excreta, and are often conveyed by flies or by 'carriers'.
The incubation period may be only a few hours, and is seldom more than three days. The disease is prevalent where insanitary conditions occur, and epidemics are common especially in the tropics. The disease develops suddenly with loss of appetite, lassitude, fever, shivering, heat of the skin, and a quickpulse. These are followed by griping pains in the bowels, and a constant desire to evacuate, and prostration. In general the stools are small and slimy, composed of mucus mixed with blood. Defaecation is attended and followed by severe griping and inclination to strain, called tormina and tenesmus; they are sometimes in the early stages attended by nausea and vomiting. The natural faeces are passed in the first few evacuations. Tenesmus continues and perhaps increases for several days, the discharges being mostly blood in some cases, and chiefly mucus in others. Having generally but little odour at first, these discharges become, as the disease advances, exceedingly offensive.
Vomiting is common, and there may be a high or low temperature, with headache. The disease may be severe or moderate in its course. In severe cases there are thirst, muscular pains, blueness of the face, extreme tenderness of the abdomen, hiccough, prostration, incontinence and a high mortality rate. If recovery follows convalescence is slow, with recurrent diarrhaea and various complications such as arthritis, iritis, chronic colitis, peritonitis, piles, boils, etc. In mild cases the symptoms abate after four or
five days. Research Dysentery
Fluorosis is chronic poisoning caused by drinking water containing excessive amounts of fluoride. It results in discolouration of the teeth and a disabling arthritis which chiefly affects the spine. Research Fluorosis
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Jack Buchanan
