Webster's New World Medical Dictionary

peripheral
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adolescence or early adulthood, is stable over time,
and leads to distress or impairment.
perspiration 1
The secretion of fluid by the
sweat (sudoriferous) glands. These small, tubular
glands are situated within the skin and in the sub-
cutaneous tissue under it. They discharge fluid
through tiny openings in the surface of the skin.
Perspiration serves at least two purposes: It
removes waste products such as urea and ammonia,
and it cools the body as sweat evaporates.
2
The transparent, colorless, acidic fluid that is
secreted by the sweat glands. Perspiration contains
some fatty acids and mineral matter. Also known as
sweat.
Perthes disease
See 
Legg
-
Calvé
-
Perthes disease.
pertussis
A communicable, potentially deadly ill-
ness that is characterized by fits of coughing fol-
lowed by a noisy, “whooping” indrawn breath.
Pertussis is caused by the bacterium Bordetella per-
tussis. The illness is most likely to affect young chil-
dren, but it sometimes appears in teenagers and
adults, even those who have been previously immu-
nized. When teenagers and adults get pertussis, it
appears first as coughing spasms and then as a stub-
born dry cough that lasts up to 8 weeks. Treatment
is supportive. Young infants need hospitalization
if the coughing becomes severe. Immunization
with diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccine
provides protection against pertussis, although that
immunity may wear off with age. Also known as
whooping cough. See also 
DTP immunization;
DTaP immunization.