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Why Don't Docs Write Like This Anymore?

They

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"Moreover, the early constellation of symptoms can have a paucity of findings with unidimensional presentations: the onset of solitary problems such as vertigo, or recurrent upper respiratory tract infections. Over time, as the untreated LD percolates, symptoms accrue to the burgeoning clinical picture until a multisystem presentation is created. Other patients can have their manifold symptoms complex develop in the manner of an avalanche. These patterns represent the extremes of a clinical continuum between which there are many variations on the theme ranging from mild to severe disease. Thus, The failure of a pathognomonic (unique and specific) presentation to consistently unfold causes sufficient clinical confusion, that a punctual diagnosis is problematic. Therefore, a high index of suspicion is placed at a premium. If a clinician can't reconcile preconceived notions about how LD should announce itself with a patient's history and physical findings, it is a disservice to the patient and an abdication of professional imperatives to presumptuously conclude that the symptoms are psychosomatic or that the patient is faking!"

 

~John D. Bleiweiss, from his article entitled "When To Suspect Lyme," published in 1994

 

 

Okay, so if you were actually able to roll through those words dauntless in their complexity like I did, are you wondering - like I am - why don't docs write like this today?! Leave a comment below! :)

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~Shockwave~

Because it stopped being the 1500's like 400 years ago.

In all seriousness, it's not common to write like that because we don't talk like that anymore. and just because you use a lot of big words doesn't mean you know what you're talking about. It's actually more impressive to be able to make a point to someone who has no idea what you where initially talking about. This is clearly not meant to do that.

 

And good grief. I couldn't even make it through that. I honestly think writing levels past what's expected in basic college classes are counterproductive. It doesn't do anybody any good to write if it's a pain to read.

 

I don't mean that the person who wrote this doesn't know what they're talking about. (I honestly have no idea.) But since we don't typically use those words, using them in an essay seems odd. While I get that it's a medical paper and probably meant for people in the field, it just seems to use outdated language for the time it was written in.

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Sumiki

You have no idea how much I loved reading that excerpt. Ineffective, bloated, garrulous, and loquacious, yes, but I have a soft spot for big words.

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Legolover-361

While the passage is verbose and would be strengthened by streamlining, it isn't egregiously complex. I admit, I had to look up a few of the words, but that's vocabulary rather than grammatical construction. I wouldn't know if modern doctors still write like this, but if they don't... well, let's just say I think many "esoteric" or "SAT" words aren't as useless as some people believe.

 

Maybe I'm the odd man out, but did anyone else find the avalanche simile in the middle of the passage off-putting?

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