There is another disease that could really use some modernized
nomenclature, but doesn't have it. It is the disease caused by the
bacterium Yersinia Pestis. It wiped out much of Europe in the 14th
century. It isn't called the Black Death any more, but it is still
called plague (http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/plague/). I suppose one
could compare that to the kilogram, the base unit with a prefix. It's
become a convenient name over the years.
James Scott Hudnall wrote:
Interesting take, Stan. I saw it as revering to archaic terminology,
because the public would not accept change. BTW, it is called Hansen's
now because he was the first to study and understand the mechanisms of
the disease.
Now that I think about it. Hansen's does sound more PC. Makes it sound
like a mycobacterium infection that can be treated with antibiotics
rather than some plague of unknown origin. ;-)
Scott
On 2007-05 -21, at 23:57 , STANLEY DOORE wrote:
Dobbs is correct in using "leprosy" rather than Hansen's Disease.
The name change to Hansen's Disease is just another example of
political correctness used to mislead the public in understanding
and to avoid reality.
That's why it's so difficult to get people to think and use the SI.
Regards, Stan Doore
----- Original Message -----
From: Scott Hudnall <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: U.S. Metric Association <mailto:[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2007 2:42 AM
Subject: [USMA:38750] Rumblings: the US press
I was watching CNN the other night, and it really hit me how much
the US press "dumbs down" the news - and not just converting
metric to imperial measures. Lou Dobbs did a segment on the surge
in Hansen's Disease cases among illegal immigrants. In his
opening remarks, he stated "leprosy, now called Hansen's
Disease......" then proceeded to call it "leprosy" throughout the
segment. If it is now called Hansen's Disease, why not call it
such? If a measurement is stated in metric, why not quote it as
such? I got more than a little frustrated with CNN on this one. I
guess the "soft bigotry of low expectations" is alive and well at
CNN.
--
Scott Hudnall
Seattle, WA USA
[EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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Paul Trusten, R.Ph.
Public Relations Director
U.S. Metric Association, Inc.
www.metric.org
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