...........A call came through about a three-year old that took an overdose. The Sister did not tell me what she took. She seemed to want to keep that as a mystery. That got me curious.
It was unusual to
have overdosed three-year olds and when that happened it was mostly
accidental.
I dutifully turned
up and immediately noticed the heady aromatic scent that pervaded the ward when
I walked in.
“What is the
occasion?”
“We kept her in
the crib as she was getting a bit high!”
“What did she
take?”
“A whole bottle of
Chanel No. 5! The actual perfume.”
I turned to the
paediatric registrar.
“Call Chanel in
London and ask them what alcohol they use in their perfume!”
“I already did,
and they said only ethanol, pure ethanol!”
A smart
junior. There is hope in our
profession.
“Thanks! Good thinking. Methanol would have smelt foul, wouldn’t
it?”
Ylang-Ylang
In 1920 Coco Chanel wanted something quite different and chose Ylang-Ylang, which grows in many South East Asian and also Central American countries to become the dominant scent that gives the new perfume Chanel No. 5 the beautiful, sensual feminine quality.
And the girl?
She came to no harm, and was discharged when the “stink” completely faded. It was her father who picked her up, as he cared for her while mother worked, part time. We all had a good laugh. Father confided that his daughter drank the perfume when he was supposed to be watching her. Now he had to buy his wife another bottle of Chanel No. 5, but this time he was going to lock it away!
The Cockroach Catcher II: Attempted Living---Finland
The Cockroach Catcher II: Attempted Living---Private Asylum
The Cockroach Catcher II: Attempted Living---Daimler and The Vagabond
The Cockroach Catcher II: Attempted Living---He Did Not Show
The Cockroach Catcher II: Attempted Living---Life is a Beach
The Cockroach Catcher II: Attempted Living---Incestuous Failure
The Cockroach Catcher II: Attempted Living.
Just published on Amazon
The Cockroach Catcher II: Attempted Living.
Review on Amazon:
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on January 17, 2023
Reading his memoir is eye opening, and at times therapeutic. It was like meeting up with a learned old friend, as you sit with him and listen while his memories and ideas overflow. You travel with him as his stories move from continent to continent, from detailed episodes to gentle remarks, from freshly harvested catches to gourmet preparations, from ancient finds to modern scientific research ......
A most delightful read.
No comments:
Post a Comment