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#15274 01/11/01 02:57 PM
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Folks here at AWAD might enjoy some of the funny things that are occasionally heard here at our medical center. For example, I have been told more than once by a patient that he had been feeling "nauserated" before he actually "vomicked." "Fibroids of the uterus" has been transformed into "fireballs of the Eucharist" supposedly, although I have never heard anyone say this myself. And of course there's the reliable "Old Timer's Disease" (Alzheimer's Disease) which actually makes a lot of sense.

I wonder if anyone else out there has any other medical malapropisms to share?


#15275 01/11/01 03:35 PM
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"The room-attics" for rheumatism.
"Arthur-itis" for arthritis and last but not least :
"A cardiac fraction" for a myocardial infarction.
wow


#15276 01/11/01 04:33 PM
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I know I'll think of some when I have some time to think, but I have to share a peculiarity of Baltimorese: appendix is often a plural noun, as in, "She had to have her appendix out; they were badly infected."


#15277 01/11/01 05:08 PM
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a doctor told a story once (in an article in NYT) about being careful what you say as patients come out of anesthetic, since they often hear things before they are full conscious.

His patient had a "galloping heart" (rate) which the doctor mentioned-- the other doctors all nodded, and were concerned-- after open heart surgery "galloping heart" is not a good thing.

But a few days latter, the patient was fully recovered, and on his way home. He commented to the doctor that it was something he heard the doctor say as he was regaining consciousness that made all the difference. the patient knew going into surgery that he was high risk, and that there could be serious complications, but when he heard the doctor talk about his galloping heart--He knew he was a strong as horse, and was going to make it!

not quite a malapropism-- but a sort of "mis hearing"


#15278 01/11/01 06:21 PM
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John Updike writes about someone suffering from "Al's Hammer Disease"


#15279 01/12/01 11:27 PM
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Many years ago, when I worked as a hospital chaplain, one fellow told me he had "a rhythmia" and asked me if it was bad to have one of those.




#15280 01/13/01 11:11 PM
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I wonder if anyone else out there has any other medical malapropisms to share?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I thought that a medical malaprop had to do with being rushed to hospital after being struck by an airscrew.
Wherever did I go wrong?


#15281 01/13/01 11:56 PM
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Geoff asks, apparently bemusedly: I thought that a medical malaprop had to do with being rushed to hospital after being struck by an airscrew.
Wherever did I go wrong?


Because there's actually much more chance of being struck by the aircrew these days! You need to update your belief system. It's not a malapropism, it's a malaturbinism ...



The idiot also known as Capfka ...
#15282 01/14/01 03:01 AM
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Did you hear about the airline stewardess who backed into a moving airplane propeller? Disaster.




#15283 01/14/01 03:09 AM
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Did you hear about the airline stewardess who backed into a moving airplane propeller? Disaster.

Heard that one as "the butcher's wife who at on the bacon slicer".



The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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