.Thomas H.Maugh II Los Angeles Times What is a "Hasselhoff," in doctor-speak?Does eating turkey really make you unusually sleepy?Why is it better to celebrate a big victory with champagne rather than beer? Those are some questions addressed in the British Medical Journal's annual Christmas issue, which collects some of the more arcane reports received by the journal during the year. In medical terminology, a Hasselhoff is a patient who shows up at an emergency room with an injury and a bizarre explanation, said Dr.Paul Keeley, of the Glasgow Royal Infirmary, in a collection of newly minted words used by doctors. The termmemorates former "Baywatch" star David Hasselhoff, who famously struck his head on a chandelier while shaving.The broken glass severed four tendons and an artery in his right arm, requiring immediate surgery. Even snarkier is the term "Ringo," after Beatle Ringo Starr, referring to a member of a team who is expendable. Other new terms include: disco biscuit, another name for the drug Ecstasy; Jack Bauer, a doctor up and working after 24 hours; and testiculation, "the holding forth with expressive hand gestures by a consultant on a subject in which he or she has little knowledge. The turkey myth is one that oftenes up this time of year and is attributed to the supposed high levels of sleep-inducing tryptophan in the birds, wrote Dr.Rachel Vreeman, of the Indiana University School of Medicine, and Dr.Aaron Carroll, of the Regenstrief Institute in Indianapolis, in a study of medically oriented myths that are still believed by many doctors. A study of the literature, however, shows that turkey, chicken and beef contain similar levels of tryptophan; pork and cheese contain more. A more likely explanation for drowsiness after Christmas dinner is eating too much and, perhaps, consuming wine. Vreeman and Carroll cited six other such myths, including the eight-glasses-of-water-a-day one."There is no medical evidence to suggest that you need that much water," Vreeman said. She and Carroll traced the misperception to a 1945 rmendation by the Nutrition Council that Americans consume the equivalent of eight glasses of fluids daily.Lost, they said, was the council's note that the 64 ounces called for included water contained in coffee, soda, fruits and vegetables. Other myths unproven or wrong include: * We use only 10 percent of our brains. * Hair and fingernails continue to grow after death. * Reading in dim light ruins your eyesight. * Shaving causes hair to grow back faster and coarser. * Cellphones are dangerous in hospitals. The brain myth is widespread and has been attributed to Albert Einstein, but it is wrong.Imaging studies show that all brain cells are in constant use. Hair and fingernails only appear to grow because the surrounding skin bes desiccated and shrinks, making them appear longer.And the blunt ends of shaved hair only appear coarser than the tapered ends of untouched hairs. As for celebrating, Australian physician Robert Douglas, of the Royal Adelaide Hospital, reported the case of an Australian-rules football player who went to the ER having difficulty breathing after his team had won a title. Physicians discovered a round metallic object with scalloped edges in his windpipe: a beer-bottle cap he accidentally swallowed while being sprayed with beer. An examination of medical literature showed no similar examples of impaired breathing caused by champagne corks.Hence the rmendation: Stick to champagne for raucous celebrations.
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