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eLetters: Potential morbidity due to stethoscopes
In response to: The efficacy of stethoscope placement when not in use: traditional versus
Cortland Richmond
Email: ka5s@earthlink.net
Affiliation: ARRL, IEEE, AARGH
Posted on: December 21, 2000
Having been a victim of medical practice, I feel impelled to respond to your important article on stethoscope placement.
This incisive paper, accompanied by photogaphic evidence, brings to mind the increasing danger in which young, female medical practitioners may place older, male patients. I myself have noted incipient arrhythmias and elevation of systolic and diastolic readings assocated with the proximity of young medical practitioners of the female type. Added to the propensity for "cool placement" noted (not to mention freezing the bl**dy stethoscope before use) the conclusion may easily be reached that elderly or middle-aged patients such as myself may well be ill served by "cool placement," especially in the hands of nubile, backwards-baseball-hat-wearing nurses.
However, such personnel are an aid to speedy phlebotomy.
Antiseptically, etc.
Cortland E. Richmond (Jr.)
PS: AARGH above is a typographical error. That is, of course, the sound made when a cold stethoscope hits an unready chest.
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