Table 1.

Terminologies used to describe illnesses

Name in English	Kikuyu terminologies	Literal dictionary translation
Chest in-indrawing	Guteha	Gasp, to breath audibly, grunt,
	Guikania mbaru	Pushing of the ribs
	Kuhura ngoro muno	*Very fast heart beat
Rapid breathing	Kuheha muno	To pant, to get out of breath
Grunting	Guchaya	To pant, to get out of breath
Convulsions	Kung'ang'athara	Stiffening of the body
	Kwihanda	Stiffening of the body
	Kumagara	Stiffening of the body
	Gukura maitho	Staring gaze or rolling of the eyes.
Cough with convulsions	Mburoko	Conjured from the term bronchopneumonia but used to describe the illness associated with cough and convulsions

^*if asked to show where the heart beat fast would point at the left lower subcostal area