Saturday, February 8, 2014

No Respect for a Stethoscope




Pamela Chichinskas-Johnson & Marianne Wait, eds., Laughter, The Best Medicine (Montreal: The Reader’s Digest Association (Canada) Ltd., 2006), p. 270.

Dad’s pager beeped, summoning him to the hospital, where he is an anesthetist. As he raced toward the hospital, a patrol car sped up behind him – lights flashing, siren blaring. So Dad hung his stethoscope out the window to signal he was on an emergency call.

Within seconds came the policeman’s response: a pair of handcuffs flapping outside the police car window. – Nicholas Banks


The Times [UK]
6 February 2014

Letters to the Editor

It turns out that there are many and varied reasons for carrying a stethoscope, the very least of which seems to be for medical purposes

Sir, My father was a GP in a small town in Scotland. Speeding to a medical emergency, he was caught by a police car. He waved his stethoscope hopefully out of the car window; the police overtook him, waving a pair of handcuffs as they passed.

Dr Liz Sowler
Musselburgh, E Lothian


The Times [UK]
8 February 2014

Letters to the Editor

There are some stories that make a good, amusing letter, but may not completely have the ring of truth about them

Sir, The anecdote about the speeding doctor, the stethoscope and the policeman waving the handcuffs (letter, Feb 6) has a familiar ring. I have heard the same story but it was a different doctor in a different town in the Usk valley. Now I wonder who else has heard it? Urban myth in the making, methinks.

Sue Ware
Neath, W Glamorgan