Doctor's Pens -- Rant

[ParkerDuofold]

OMAS made a true doctor's pen in the 1930s with a real function for doctors. It was a lever filler holding a thermometer. It wasn't decorative or fancy otherwise. So, today we probably would call it a nurse's pen.

Parker also made a thermometer case for their 51... as well as a aspergillum holy water "sprinkler" for priests.

 

 

- Anthony

[C-J]

very nice catch...it is montegrappa count Cagliostro pen...link 1 , link 2

 

AFAIK the " doctors" pen comes in surgical grade gold nibs...which are sharp enough, to be used as scalpels in the case of emergency.

Now I'm curious where the "eye in the pyramid" appears in that design - in the section engraving? Edited December 9, 2017 by C-J

[Fuzzy_Bear]

I've met Jay. Humble man. Writing is not unintelligible, unreadable, he is a doctor. 😂 He's gonna beat me now!

 

My daughter's cardiologist uses MB cart pens. My doc uses whatever is cheap and is push button activated.

 

in general, a doctor pen is whatever they use. A decorated pen should be correct. There is no decoration for School bus drivers or maintenance men.

[praxim]

To those earlier convinced of the origins of serpent-on-staff as a symbol associated with physicians or recovery of health, Thoth, Imhotep and Ningishzida would like a word with you; not to mention a certain worm.

 

It seems to me that people can select the symbolic origin they prefer. More interesting is the confusion over the symbol (one or two snakes) and an unverified statement I found which suggested well half of doctors and over three-quarters of of related commercial organisations in the USA use the Caduceus, despite it being mostly associated with Hermes (and Apollo).

 

I would have thought a true doctor's pen would not be ornate but easy to use and to clean, as discussed on a thread here recently, so most probably devoid of all symbols or engravings.

[bluebellrose]

my doctor uses a Bic. Lol Nowhere near the fancy fps

[Pickwick]

To those earlier convinced of the origins of serpent-on-staff as a symbol associated with physicians or recovery of health, Thoth, Imhotep and Ningishzida would like a word with you; not to mention a certain worm.

 

It seems to me that people can select the symbolic origin they prefer. More interesting is the confusion over the symbol (one or two snakes) and an unverified statement I found which suggested well half of doctors and over three-quarters of of related commercial organisations in the USA use the Caduceus, despite it being mostly associated with Hermes (and Apollo).

 

I would have thought a true doctor's pen would not be ornate but easy to use and to clean, as discussed on a thread here recently, so most probably devoid of all symbols or engravings.

Irrespective of the serpent symbol origins it is used to recognize the medical profession.

I have serious doubts that you will hardly if ever see a Doctor with a fountain pen,because in reality in this day and age Doctors are so busy it would prove to be of no practical use in any case. bluebellrose is right Bic pens are the logical pen to use.

[Astronymus]

To those earlier convinced of the origins of serpent-on-staff as a symbol associated with physicians or recovery of health, Thoth, Imhotep and Ningishzida would like a word with you; not to mention a certain worm.

 

It seems to me that people can select the symbolic origin they prefer. More interesting is the confusion over the symbol (one or two snakes) and an unverified statement I found which suggested well half of doctors and over three-quarters of of related commercial organisations in the USA use the Caduceus, despite it being mostly associated with Hermes (and Apollo).

 

I would have thought a true doctor's pen would not be ornate but easy to use and to clean, as discussed on a thread here recently, so most probably devoid of all symbols or engravings.

What are you talking about? It can't be older than 6000 years.

 

But my thought exactly. How do you clean such a piece of artistic ornamentation??? Germ magnet.

[TSherbs]

my doctor uses a Bic. Lol Nowhere near the fancy fps

 

My brother is a doctor who owns his own practice. He likes fountain pens but never uses one at work. He uses only black (photocopying contrast), bold, click gels...and the black bold G2 is his work pen of choice. He and his staff have to write quickly, frequently, and often with only one hand available to retrieve the pen from a pocket.

 

YRMV

[Fuzzy_Bear]

Irrespective of the serpent symbol origins it is used to recognize the medical profession.

I have serious doubts that you will hardly if ever see a Doctor with a fountain pen,because in reality in this day and age Doctors are so busy it would prove to be of no practical use in any case. bluebellrose is right Bic pens are the logical pen to use.

You realize that a doctor stated this threat, right? And he uses a fountain pen? On a daily basis?

 

My daughters cardiologist uses fountain pens. He has a matching, but only uses it for carbon copies.

[ParkerDuofold]

Irrespective of the serpent symbol origins it is used to recognize the medical profession.

I have serious doubts that you will hardly if ever see a Doctor with a fountain pen,because in reality in this day and age Doctors are so busy it would prove to be of no practical use in any case. bluebellrose is right Bic pens are the logical pen to use.

 

You realize that a doctor stated this threat, right? And he uses a fountain pen? On a daily basis?

 

My daughters cardiologist uses fountain pens. He has a matching, but only uses it for carbon copies.

Hi Fuzzy,

 

You raise a valid point and I understand it... and I also think Pickwick realizes it was an M.D. that started this thread... at least I hope so.

 

However, you have to admit that in the "BIG picture," we are a fairly rare lot of individuals... I do not know anyone else at work that uses fp's... I think rarer still are physicians that use them... and I've noted and accept the exceptions you've cited. But "exceptions" they are... not the rule... I'm pushing 50 and I cannot recall ever seeing one of my doctors (or dentist's) using a fp throughout my entire life.

 

Sometimes I think we lose sight of the fact that we really are a pack of squirrels... and one of these days we're all gonna get sealed up in here like a can of mixed nuts.

 

Like most everyone else in the world... I think they prefer the ease of use and simplicity of a thumb clicking, G2 gel pen... believe it or not, the fanciest pens I've ever seen a doctor use was a Parker Jotter bp... and that was my pediatrician... and a Cross Century bp... and IIRC, that was an ER doctor.

 

What are you gonna do about it?... ...people are people... and most of us like the easiest path possible... bp's or rb's.

 

 

- Anthony

[MercianScribe]

I thought this thread was going to be about those lovely white doctors' sets from Watermans, with the matching FP, MP, and thermometer. I'd love one, but I always thought they'd be a nightmare for doctors carrying them in their top pocket as they all look too similar.

 

Anyway... I thought this was interesting:

 

"The Rod of Asclepius is the dominant symbol for professional healthcare associations in the United States. One survey found that 62% of professional healthcare associations used the rod of Asclepius as their symbol.[28] The same survey found that 76% of commercial healthcare organizations used the Caduceus symbol. The author of the study suggests the difference exists because professional associations are more likely to have a real understanding of the two symbols, whereas commercial organizations are more likely to be concerned with the visual impact a symbol will have in selling their products."

 

From here

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caduceus#Confusion_with_Rod_of_Asclepius

Edited December 11, 2017 by MercianScribe

[praxim]

Anyway... I thought this was interesting:

 

"The Rod of Asclepius is the dominant symbol for professional healthcare associations in the United States. One survey found that 62% of professional healthcare associations used the rod of Asclepius as their symbol.[28] The same survey found that 76% of commercial healthcare organizations used the Caduceus symbol. The author of the study suggests the difference exists because professional associations are more likely to have a real understanding of the two symbols, whereas commercial organizations are more likely to be concerned with the visual impact a symbol will have in selling their products."

 

From here

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caduceus#Confusion_with_Rod_of_Asclepius

I thought it was interesting too*. Now I noticed in the Wikipedia reference what appears to be the publication date: 1932. The magazine was folded into Science back in 1957. Things may have changed, not that it matters much.

 

eta:

* rueful agreement having used the same data (different second hand reporting) in a part of my earlier post.

Edited December 11, 2017 by praxim

[eachan]

Hi Fuzzy,

 

You raise a valid point and I understand it... and I also think Pickwick realizes it was an M.D. that started this thread... at least I hope so.

 

However, you have to admit that in the "BIG picture," we are a fairly rare lot of individuals... I do not know anyone else at work that uses fp's... I think rarer still are physicians that use them... and I've noted and accept the exceptions you've cited. But "exceptions" they are... not the rule... I'm pushing 50 and I cannot recall ever seeing one of my doctors (or dentist's) using a fp throughout my entire life.

 

Sometimes I think we lose sight of the fact that we really are a pack of squirrels... and one of these days we're all gonna get sealed up in here like a can of mixed nuts.

 

Like most everyone else in the world... I think they prefer the ease of use and simplicity of a thumb clicking, G2 gel pen... believe it or not, the fanciest pens I've ever seen a doctor use was a Parker Jotter bp... and that was my pediatrician... and a Cross Century bp... and IIRC, that was an ER doctor.

 

What are you gonna do about it?... ...people are people... and most of us like the easiest path possible... bp's or rb's.

 

 

- Anthony

 

 

Just for variety - I've come across three GPs using fountain pens in the last five years or so - one a very beat-up Parker 51 which I repaired for him, another a Montblanc and my current GP uses a Pelikan.