#105364 - 06/11/03 07:27 AM
Ptomaine
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newbie
Registered: 11/12/00
Posts: 33
Loc: Eastern North Carolina, US
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I recently noted that everybody I know over the age of 55 knows the term "ptomaine poisoning" and regards it as a very common term. Two weeks ago it was one of the answers to NPR's Sunday weekly puzzle. Yet no one I know under the age of 45 as even heard of the term and that includes two nurses and a physician. I find this to be rather strange.
P.S. When I checked the spelling "ptomaine" was flagged though it is spelled corectly.
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#105365 - 06/11/03 07:32 AM
Re: Ptomaine
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old hand
Registered: 07/19/02
Posts: 742
Loc: Akina
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Well, Carl I just want to say two things: I'm ten years shy of 45,edit: and know the phrase and WELCOME BACK!
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#105366 - 06/11/03 07:51 AM
Re: Ptomaine
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Carpal Tunnel
Registered: 10/17/00
Posts: 5400
Loc: rego park
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ptomaine came up as a subject here last fall.. i stumbled across the word, -and while i too am shy of 55, i knew the word, and vaguely knew the meaning.. but when i looked it up, i had such delight in learning were it came from! we can continue here, but this thread will serve as a refresher. http://wordsmith.org/board/showthreaded.pl?Cat=&Board=words&Number=81499
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#105367 - 06/11/03 08:22 AM
Re: Ptomaine
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Carpal Tunnel
Registered: 01/18/01
Posts: 13858
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My father had a patient some time in the twenties who called it "pantomime poisoning".
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#105368 - 06/11/03 09:15 AM
Re: Ptomaine
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newbie
Registered: 11/12/00
Posts: 33
Loc: Eastern North Carolina, US
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And thank you. Glad to be back.
Carl
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#105369 - 06/11/03 09:48 AM
Re: Ptomaine
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newbie
Registered: 11/12/00
Posts: 33
Loc: Eastern North Carolina, US
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I thought that "ptomaine" had probably been discussed before but when I searched for it I got no results. What started this is that every Sunday morning I listen to and write down the NPR Quiz which comes on at 8:40 EDT. I then call my son-in-law and daughter and give it to them. The puzzle was to fine a "L" word for the first blank and change the "L" sound to a "T" sound to get the word for the second blank. The sentence was: By eating ____ in a Chinese restaurant you are not likely to get _____ poisoning.
When my literate son-in-law guessed at lomein and was then stumped I was surprised and when my BSRN daughter also had not heard of "ptomaine" I was really surprised. I called others, the general result was those over 55 regarded the question "Have you heard of ptomaine poisoning" as absurd, of course, they have heard of it. While those under 45 including my personal physician drew a complete blank.
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#105372 - 06/11/03 10:53 AM
Re: Ptomaine
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newbie
Registered: 11/12/00
Posts: 33
Loc: Eastern North Carolina, US
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But how does a very common term used in states as different as Minnesota, West Virginia and New York disappear so thoroughly in such a short period of time?
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