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Dysphemisms

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August 25, 2003, 17:56
Kalleh
Dysphemisms
A euphemism is an inoffensive expression that is substituted for one that is considered offensive; so perhaps a "dysphemism" is an offensive expression that is substituted for one that is inoffensive?

Anyway, in today's QT column in the Chicago Sun Times, he reported some interesting "medical 'dysphemisms'"; these are hospital slang:

gassers - anesthetists
slashers - general surgeons
guessing tube - stethoscope
departure lounge - geriatric ward

And, one that QT missed is gomer - the patient in the ICU who will never become conscious.

What are your dysphemisms?
August 25, 2003, 18:14
haberdasher
I thought GOMER was supposed to be an acronym, applied by the ER resident physician to the homeless/alcoholic patient who may or may not be sick but
anyway has no place to go for any of a number of reasons, and it stood for
"Get Outa My Emergency Room".

Or have I been reading House of God by Sam Shem for too long?

Anesthesiologist is gas-passer
Super-Duper-Pooper-Snooper has grown and is now the colonoscope (or -ist). Used to be the sigmoidoscope but see what inflation has done...
August 26, 2003, 17:25
C J Strolin
The perfectly respectable meal properly known as Chipped Beef on Toast is, of course, more widely referred to, especially in the military, as "S.O.S."

Worldly ladies and gents that you all are, I'll assume you know why...
August 26, 2003, 20:00
shufitz
And if I were to refer to Kalleh as my old lady or my ball and chain ...

(I'd need medical intervention).
August 27, 2003, 17:23
Kalleh
Shufitz, Shufitz, Shufitz!

Now, as for Gomer, Haberdasher. I have heard this term used all over hospitals, from emergency rooms to general units to ICUs. Perhaps the phrase just expanded. I know, to non-health care people here, it seems cruel. Truthfully, it isn't used that much, mostly by uncivilized slobs.

That leads to an unrelated question....should it be "health care" or "healthcare." Most journals these days say "healthcare", though in my organization's new style manual, we are supposed to use two words.