# Medicos - Why the paranoia? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 18, 2009, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medicos-why-the-paranoia/496834 "2009-05-18T07:31:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Fantome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Fantome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fantome)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medicos-why-the-paranoia/496834/41 "2009-05-19T00:51:09Z")
> [@Chief\_Pedant](#): > > I did answer that. Let me try again… Not really. **Gary T** ’s point was that no one yet answered in the context of how the OP perceived the reaction of the doctors, which was “the kind of reaction I’d expect if I told a cop I had armor-piercing ammo. In a pistol. In my pocket. Now.” Your first sentence was “It’s not paranoia” and then later "It has nothing to do with “paranoia.” > [@Chief\_Pedant](#): > > That an individual would make an issue of it, or consider it paranoia on my part to inquire further, would increase my concern over the need for a serum porcelain level, I admit. This shows that you did miss **Gary T** ’s point. Everyone up until **Gary T** ’s post made assumptions that did not fit with what the OP described. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medicos-why-the-paranoia/496834/42 "2009-05-19T00:53:54Z")
I got mine to help tell if I’m in a-fib. But to be honest, it is pretty freaking obvious even without it. Still, it wasn’t too costly and I might as well be thorough before taking the meds for it. ---
**Author:** ![St.Urho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@St.Urho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Urho)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medicos-why-the-paranoia/496834/43 "2009-05-19T04:40:49Z")
> [@BiblioCat](#): > > It depends on which type of automated cuff you’re using. The ones in hospitals and on LifePaks (the ones on ambulances) are good; the ones in the grocery store or that you can buy online for $19.95 aren’t as accurate. Actually, all the research I’ve been able to find shows that automated cuffs of any type aren’t very accurate. When we got our Lifepak 12s, we took all the BP cuffs they came with and threw them in a box on the ambulance garage. Our medical director doesn’t want us using the auto-cuffs because they’re not accurate. I’ll post some of the studies when I’m not on my BlackBerry. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medicos-why-the-paranoia/496834/44 "2009-05-19T05:44:55Z")
I used to have a stethoscope. It came in a kit just like [this](http://onceuponawin.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/win-pics-medical-kit.jpg). 😉 ---
**Author:** ![runcible\_spoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc29f/32.png) [@runcible\_spoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/runcible_spoon)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medicos-why-the-paranoia/496834/45 "2009-05-19T05:49:15Z")
I have one because I was [Doctor McNinja](http://www.drmcninja.com/) for Halloween. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medicos-why-the-paranoia/496834/46 "2009-05-19T06:21:30Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > I used to have a stethoscope. It came in a kit just like [this](http://onceuponawin.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/win-pics-medical-kit.jpg). 😉 I used to have the same exact medical kit! Is it Fisher-Price? I’d love to find the same one to give to my nephew… ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medicos-why-the-paranoia/496834/47 "2009-05-19T12:42:02Z")
I guess that if you count the “what’s mine is hers and what’s hers is mine” rule of marriage, then I’m the proud owner of a dental chair, x-ray machine, autoclave, root finder, and all kinds of really cool looking tools. It’s never occurred to me to mention this to my dentist, though. I’m now in the mood to bring it up next time. Not sure which would concern him the most: the root finder or the x-ray machine? ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medicos-why-the-paranoia/496834/48 "2009-05-19T17:43:27Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Stethescopes are great for communicating with people who are very hard of hearing. Stick the earpieces in the patient’s ears, and talk into the bell. > > It makes for much easier communication than shouting or note-writing. > > Really. That’s a great point of advice! :saves that pearl of wisdom: ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medicos-why-the-paranoia/496834/49 "2009-05-19T22:54:23Z")
Growing up in my home as a kid we had a stethoscope and it never really crossed my mind to wonder why. It is a tool that can be used to listen to a heartbeat and that is not an experience reserved solely for trained medical professionals. We also had a microscope and there were no medical researchers or biochemists in the household. We also had a telescope and nobody was a professional astronomer. I don’t think having a stethoscope is particularly unusual but perhaps telling people you do and then resenting them asking why could be… ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medicos-why-the-paranoia/496834/50 "2009-05-19T23:21:07Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Stethescopes are great for communicating with people who are very hard of hearing. Stick the earpieces in the patient’s ears, and talk into the bell. > > It makes for much easier communication than shouting or note-writing. > > Really. What? Speak louder son. And get off my lawn! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medicos-why-the-paranoia/496834.md?page=2)