Funtabulously Frivolous Friday Five 133
Just when you thought your brain could unwind on a Friday, you realise that it would rather be challenged with some good old fashioned medical trivia FFFF, introducing the Funtabulously Frivolous Friday Five 133
Question 1
Why do onions make you cry?
Reveal the funtabulous answer
Propanethiol S-oxide
When you cut an onion, separate enzymes start mixing and produce propanethiol S-oxide, which is a volatile sulphur compound. The gas that is emitted reacts with the water of your eyes and forms sulphuric acid. The sulphuric acid causes burning sensation in your eyes and in turn leads to the tears glands secreting tears.
Question 2
Does a full moon correlate to extreme behavioural disturbances?
Reveal the funtabulous answer
Yes, according to a study done here in Australia:
Of 91 patients with violent and acute behavioural disturbance, 21 (23%) presented during the full moon — double the number for other lunar phases (P = 0.002). Sixty (66%) had either alcohol intoxication or psychostimulant toxicity, and five attacked staff (biting [2], spitting [1], kicking [1] and scratching [1]). In contrast, 512 hospital security calls for patients with less severe behaviour were evenly distributed throughout the lunar cycle.
Calver et al, MJA
- Calver LA, Stokes BJ, Isbister GK. The dark side of the moon. Med J Aust. 2009 Dec 7-21;191(11-12):692-4.
Question 3
What does a ‘Hampton’s hump‘ represent on a CXR?
Reveal the funtabulous answer
Pulmonary infarction
Hampton hump refers to a dome-shaped, pleural-based opacification in the lung most commonly due to a pulmonary embolism and lung infarction
Associated signs of pulmonary embolism/infarction
- Nils Westermark (1892 – 1980) [Westermark sign 1938]
- Aubrey Otis Hampton (1900 – 1955) [Hampton hump 1940]
- Felix George Fleischner (1893 – 1969) [Fleischner sign 1959]
- C. H. Joseph Chang (1929 – 2017) [Chang sign 1965]
- Antonio Palla (1950 – ) [Palla sign 1983]
Question 4
Protamine sulphate is used to reverse heparin but where was it originally isolated?
Reveal the funtabulous answer
Fish Sperm
Question 5
What is St. Anthony’s fire?
Reveal the funtabulous answer
FFFF
Funtabulously Frivolous Friday Five
Dr Neil Long BMBS FACEM FRCEM FRCPC. Emergency Physician at Kelowna hospital, British Columbia. Loves the misery of alpine climbing and working in austere environments (namely tertiary trauma centres). Supporter of FOAMed, lifelong education and trying to find that elusive peak performance.