Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

Inflammation of the pharynx. Pharyngitis is a common cause of sore throat.

An official authoritative listing of drugs. Aspirin has, for example, long been in the pharmacopoeia. By extension, a pharmacopoeia is a collection or stock of drugs.

The study of drugs, their sources, their nature, and their properties. Pharmacology is the study of the body’s reaction to drugs. It emerged as a major area in American medicine largely due to the efforts of John Jacob Abel (1857- 1938) who stressed the importance of chemistry in medicine, did research on the endocrine glands, first isolated epinephrine (adrenaline),…

A specialist in the science of medications. A pharmacologist is usually especially knowledgeable about new and obscure medications that may be needed for hard-to-treat or rare illnesses and about drug interactions and how to prevent them. Pharmacologists usually act as consultants to primary care physicians or specialists.

A professional who fills prescriptions and, in the case of a compounding pharmacist, makes them. Pharmacists are very familiar with medication ingredients, interactions, and cautions.

Anatomically, any one of the bones in the fingers or toes. (Plural: phalanges.) There are 3 phalanges (the proximal, middle, and distal phalanx) in most of the fingers and toes. However, the thumb and large toe have only two phalanges that accounts for their being shorter. A “phalanx” in ancient Greece was a military formation composed of heavily armed…

The bones of the fingers and of the toes. There are generally three phalanges (distal, middle, proximal) for each digit except the thumbs and large toes. The singular of phalanges is phalanx.

The process by which a cell engulfs particles such as bacteria, other microorganisms, aged red blood cells, foreign matter, etc. The principal phagocytes include the neutrophils and monocytes (types of white blood cells). The prefix “phago-” comes from the Greek “phago” meaning “to eat.”

A cell that can engulf particles, such as bacteria and other microorganisms or foreign matter. The principal phagocytes include the neutrophils and monocytes, both of which are types of white blood cells.

Eating, devouring. From the Greek “phago” meaning “to eat.” Examples of words starting with phago- include: phagocyte, a cell that can engulf particles; and phagophobia, an excessive fear of eating.