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Forums => English & Linguistics => Topic started by: Brinestone on December 03, 2004, 09:30:32 AM

Title: What the heck is a fever chart?
Post by: Brinestone on December 03, 2004, 09:30:32 AM

Anyone know? An author keeps referring to dance as a sort of fever chart of the emotions. I feel like that's supposed to be an enlightening and interesting metaphor, but I have no idea what a fever chart is in the first place. Am I stupid?

Title: What the heck is a fever chart?
Post by: TheTick on December 03, 2004, 09:47:04 AM

Nope.  I wouldn't get it either, at the very least without some doubt still lingering.

Title: What the heck is a fever chart?
Post by: Jonathon on December 03, 2004, 10:44:03 AM

According to the OED, it's a chart for recording the fever of a patient (makes sense, I guess). I think it's more obscure than it is enlightening and interesting.

Title: What the heck is a fever chart?
Post by: Annie Subjunctive on December 03, 2004, 10:47:23 AM

It makes me think of the charts they use to track malaria and undulant fever.

(like this (http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/fever-browse?id=02528001))

That's actually how undulant fever got its name - the undulations on the chart depicted the rising and falling of the fever.

This always causes a weird short circuit in my brain, though, since undulant fever is also brucellosis, which is a disease of cattle and buffalo, which are ungulates.  I can never decide if I should be saying Undulant Fever or Ungulate Fever.

Title: What the heck is a fever chart?
Post by: Annie Subjunctive on December 03, 2004, 10:48:20 AM

Hmmm... maybe the reason it seems obscure to you is because it's a bit archaic.  My grandma was a nurse in the 50s, which is probably where I picked it up.

Title: What the heck is a fever chart?
Post by: Sheila on December 03, 2004, 10:52:38 AM

:lol:

Google pulled up this quote:

"Fabulous Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas staging lavish productions built around 16 girls holding doctorates in any subject from accredited universities. Slight dancing ability necessary and good looks too. Already have 3 PhD's, 1 Dr of Anthropology, 1 Dr of Physics and 2 Drs of Home Economics. Girls with only masters' degrees not acceptable."

I guess I now know about one more job option.

 :lol:  

Title: What the heck is a fever chart?
Post by: eslaine on December 03, 2004, 10:53:51 AM

Can we call you Dr. Evil?

Title: What the heck is a fever chart?
Post by: Sheila on December 03, 2004, 10:55:33 AM

I'm not a real person so you'll have to call me Doctor Worm.

Title: What the heck is a fever chart?
Post by: Porter on December 03, 2004, 11:01:06 AM

But then you can't be a real worm either.

How are you at the drums?

Title: What the heck is a fever chart?
Post by: Sheila on December 03, 2004, 11:03:48 AM

I'm getting better all the time.

Why? Did you see some sort of rythm section want ad?

Title: What the heck is a fever chart?
Post by: Porter on December 03, 2004, 11:30:47 AM

I was just wondering if you can handle criticism.

Title: What the heck is a fever chart?
Post by: sarcasticmuppet on December 03, 2004, 12:00:09 PM

Dr. Drum? :blink:  

Title: What the heck is a fever chart?
Post by: FLR on December 05, 2004, 09:25:23 AM

The original post quote made sense to me.  Though it wouldn't necessarily grab my interest.