Why Do Doctors Wear White Coats?

By Adrian Chen

The American Medical Association voted Tuesday to recommend that hospitals ban doctors' iconic white lab coats, citing evidence that the garment contributes to the spread of infection. Indeed, a number of studies have shown that the coats harbor potentially harmful bacteria (and may cause "white coat hypertension"). If white coats are so bad, why do doctors still wear them?
Because a white lab coat says "I am a scientific healer." The knee-length coat in medicine crossed over from the laboratory sciences at the turn of the 20th century. Before that time, medicine was generally seen as the haphazard province of quacks and frauds, and physicians wore street clothes even in the operating room. As the field developed into a respected branch of applied science in the early 1900s, doctors adopted the costume of the laboratory as a way of bolstering their scientific credibility.

In pre-white-coat times, physicians used primitive tools and techniques and had little formal training. (Medical school could be finished in a year.) Early doctors competed for legitimacy (and patients) with other healing arts like homeopathy and medical eclecticism. But the development of antiseptics and anesthesia, among other things, demonstrated the exceptional power of science to improve health. Doctors strove to become more scientific, in practice and in dress. The lab coat served both purposes by providing a (supposedly) sterile work environment and soothing patients with its air of scientific authority. The traditional lab coat was beige, but doctors adopted white because the color symbolizes life and purity. (In earlier times, doctors were more likely to wear black, in keeping with the high mortality rates seen at hospitals. The nuns who served as nurses often wore black habits.) By 1915, physicians working in hospitals had for the most part switched from street clothes to white coats and pants.

Obama: 'I have been an imperfect father'

The commander in chief reflects on what good parenting means to him:

By President Barack Obama
updated 12:16 a.m. ET, Sun., June 21, 2009

Two days before the inauguration, PARADE published a letter from Barack Obama to his daughters about what he hoped for them and all the children of America. The letter attracted international attention. On this Father's Day, we asked the President to reflect on what fatherhood means to him.
As the father of two young girls who have shown such poise, humor, and patience in the unconventional life into which they have been thrust, I mark this Father’s Day — our first in the White House — with a deep sense of gratitude. One of the greatest benefits of being President is that I now live right above the office. I see my girls off to school nearly every morning and have dinner with them nearly every night. It is a welcome change after so many years out on the campaign trail and commuting between Chicago and Capitol Hill.
But I observe this Father’s Day not just as a father grateful to be present in my daughters’ lives but also as a son who grew up without a father in my own life. My father left my family when I was 2 years old, and I knew him mainly from the letters he wrote and the stories my family told. And while I was lucky to have two wonderful grandparents who poured everything they had into helping my mother raise my sister and me, I still felt the weight of his absence throughout my childhood.

New Facts About Fish

Confused about how much fish to eat—and what kind? We've got answers.

1. I'm worried about mercury contamination. Should I skip fish altogether?
Absolutely not. "You should be much more nervous about how you're risking your health if you don't eat fish," says Dariush Mozaffarian, M.D., a cardiologist at the Harvard School of Public Health, who co-authored a recent study analyzing the pros and cons of fish consumption. "Seafood is a key source of heart-healthy lean protein—everyone should aim to have two servings per week." And if you choose varieties rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as tuna or salmon, you can reduce your risk of death from a heart attack by 36 percent, according to Mozaffarian's research. These fatty acids also play a crucial role in infants' brain development and may help lessen depression in adults.
If you're pregnant, thinking about conceiving, or feeding young children, do make sure that your two weekly fish servings come from species that are low in mercury. Mercury accumulates throughout fish's bodies after it's been released into the environment by natural and industrial sources. "Too much mercury can lead to developmental delays or cognitive problems for kids and even cause memory loss, unexplainable fatigue, and cardiovascular disease for adults," says Rebecca Goldburg, Ph.D., a senior scientist for the Environmental Defense Fund's Health and Oceans programs.
The Food and Drug Administration recommends avoiding large, predatory fish such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel tilefish, which accumulate the highest mercury levels. Instead, stick to low-mercury species like anchovies, Atlantic mackerel, wild Alaskan salmon, catfish, freshwater rainbow trout, oysters, shrimp, pollack, sardines, and canned light tuna, which has a lower level than canned albacore ("white") tuna. These choices are also rich in omega-3s, so you'll reap all the health benefits with fewer risks.
2. Which fish is healthier: Farm-raised or wild?
"Both wild and farmed fish can be good choices," says Goldburg. Wild fish are generally caught in the ocean by fishermen using nets, lines, or traps, while farmed species are raised in underwater pens kept along the coast or even in tanks on land. Farmed fish tend to be lower in mercury because they're fed a controlled diet. Shellfish like mussels and American shrimp are particularly good when farmed because they eat a plant-based diet that contains very little mercury. But farmed carnivorous species such as salmon are fattened up with large amounts of wild-caught fish, which may contain the carcinogens PCBs (industrial compounds that pose neurological risks) and dioxin. With these fish, you're better off eating the wild varieties, which consume a more varied diet.
3. What are some easy ways to eat more fish?
Try "pizza fish," advises Joan Salge Blake, R.D., a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association: Coat Pacific cod, farmed rainbow trout, or American tilapia with a chunky tomato sauce, sprinkle on low-fat mozzarella or Parmesan cheese and basil, and bake. American shrimp, mussels, and farmed bay scallops are easy to sneak into pasta sauces and stir-fries. "And I love to make salmon burgers," says Blake. Mix canned salmon with egg whites, breadcrumbs, and seasonings, shape into burgers, and grill.
"Eating out is also a great time to get your fish in, because you'll see it prepared in ways you'd never do at home, and it's usually the healthiest option on the menu," says Blake. "It's automatic portion control—they might give you a huge steak, but they never give you too many scallops." If you're eating sushi, limit salmon (sake), shrimp (ebi), and tuna (maguro), which tend to be high in mercury. Better choices: Atlantic mackerel (saba), farmed clams, oysters, squid (ika), and crab (kani).

What's safest for our environment—and for you, when it comes to mercury and PCBs:

Best for you and the environment:

Catfish (U.S.)
Arctic char
Halibut (Pacific)
Wild Alaskan salmon
Soft-shell clams, mussels, oysters, shrimp, and bay scallops (farmed)
Tilapia (U.S.)
Albacore (U.S. or Canadian) and yellowfin tuna (U.S. Atlantic troll/pole caught)
Striped bass (farmed)
Rainbow trout (farmed)
Mackerel (Atlantic)
Mahimahi (U.S. troll/pole caught)
Dungeness or stone crab

Worst for you and the environment:

Chilean sea bass
Flounder (Atlantic)
Grouper
Red snapper
Cod (Atlantic)
Monkfish
Halibut (Atlantic)
Swordfish (imported)
Salmon (farmed or Atlantic)
Mahimahi (imported)
Shrimp (imported)
Bluefin tuna or bigeye/yellowfin (imported longline)

Gayle stands alone ... but sensational Dilshan and Mathews propel Sri Lanka into final

Sri Lanka are through to the Twenty20 World Cup final after a sensational opening over by Angelo Mathews helped them to a 57-run drubbing of West Indies in the semi-finals yesterday.
Sri Lanka will play Pakistan in Sunday's final at Lord's.
Mathews astonishingly took three wickets for a single run in West Indies' first over, as they chased Sri Lanka's total of 158-5.
superb bowling
Mathews, who made his Twenty20 international debut at this event, finished with 3-16, Muttiah Muralitharan took 3-29 and Ajantha Mendis 2-9 off four overs as West Indies were all out in less than 18 overs for 101, despite an unbeaten 63 from captain Chris Gayle at The Oval.
Earlier, Tillakaratne Dilshan smashed 96 not out in 57 balls, including 12 fours and two sixes in equalling the third highest score in international Twenty20 history.
Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara said Dilshan's fireworks and Mendis' bowling were crucial.
"I think the total we got was quite a big one, but we owe everything to Dilshan," he said.
"I think he (Mendis) has already won enough games for us to be a great spinner, in Twenty20 cricket and in all forms of cricket. He has been an absolute charm for us."
Gayle said Dilshan was "unstoppable" and admitted his side was blown away by Mathews.
"I expected him to open the bowling because he's been doing it in the last couple of matches," Gayle said. "But we kept losing wickets and it was downhill from there."
West Indies won the toss and opted to field. After a sedate start, the innings came to life in the fourth over when Dilshan ducked under a slow bouncer from Jerome Taylor and improvised a pull for four.
He produced his trademark scoop to hit a six from the next delivery. In the next over, Sri Lanka took 13 off Dwayne Bravo.
The breakthrough came in the 11th over. Jayasuriya had struggled and changed his bat three times before he was caught by Taylor at short fine leg off Bravo for 24 in an over that conceded only a single.Two balls later, Sangakkara was caught for 0 by Kieron Pollard. In the 12th, Taylor removed Mahela Jayawardene for two, caught by Shivnarine Chanderpaul. Bravo finished with 2-32.
Dilshan reached his 50 from 30 balls in the 13th but, with none of his partners able to score freely, he decided to take on the bowlers virtually single-handed.
He hit three fours off Bravo in the 17th over to complete a 50-run partnership with Chamara Silva.
Just as Silva seemed set, he tried to reverse sweep and was caught by Denesh Ramdin off Sulieman Benn for 11 in the 18th.
In the penultimate over, Darren Sammy produced an excellent diving catch to dismiss Jehan Mubarak for 7 off Taylor.
Dilshan went into the final over on 91 and added three from the first two legitimate deliveries. Matthews hit a six, then a four, leaving Dilshan needing a six from the last delivery to score a century. He hit Gayle to long off but could scramble only two.
superb bowling
On any other day Dilshan would have hawked all the spotlight, but within six balls Mathews stole the attention.
Xavier Marshall, Lendl Simmons and Bravo were all bowled, from the second, fourth and sixth balls of the opening over, respectively, as West Indies lurched to 1-3.
Gayle and Chanderpaul made a partial recovery but the run rate was already nearly 10 when Mendis trapped the latter lbw on seven in the ninth over.
In the 11th, Mendis dropped Ramnaresh Sarwan off Lasith Malinga at long on, but he was out next over to Muralitharan, caught by Matthews attempting a nearly identical shot on five.
Pollard was stumped off a wide delivery from Muralitharan in the 14th over for three, by which point West Indies needed more than two runs per ball.
Next over Ramdin was caught by Jayawardene off Isuru Udana for nine.
Gayle at least went down fighting, pulling Muralitharan for six with the first ball in the 16th, but two balls later it was 95-8 as the same bowler had Taylor caught by the sub, Nuwan Kulasekera.
Sammy was caught by Mubarak off Mendis next over on one and the rout was completed when Malinga bowled Sulieman Benn for the fourth duck of the innings with 14 balls to spare.

Puppy Survives Flushing

A British woman said her 10-week-old puppy survived a flushing through her house's plumbing after her young son accidentally flushed the small dog down the toilet.
Alison Blair, 40, said her young son, Daniel, dropped the puppy into the commode at their Northolt, England, home for a bath after he became muddy during a walk and the dog disappeared down the drain after Daniel hit the toilet's flusher, The Sun reported Monday.
Blair said she was afraid the family had seen the last of the puppy but she called the fire department after hearing the pooch's muffled cries coming from a drain.

The firefighters brought in specialist Will Craig, 22, of plumbing firm Dyno-Rod to locate the puppy using a special camera and nudge him toward a spot where he could he freed.
"I pushed him really slowly and watched the poor thing wriggling around," Craig said. "Eventually I pushed him far enough for the firemen to grab. Suddenly everyone started cheering."
Blair said her family is ecstatic that the puppy -- named Dyno in honor of his rescuer -- received a clean bill of health after his ordeal.
"I never thought a dog could survive being flushed down the loo. He's a real little fighter," she said. (c) UPI

Harrison Ford becomes Hollywood's highest paid actor

Harrison Ford is Hollywood's highest paid actor after earning 43.3 million pounds ($88.9 million) over the last 12 months.
The 66-year-old star made the staggering sum after starring in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - which took 500 million pounds worldwide at the box office.
Ford - who had only appeared in four movies since 2000 before agreeing to reprise the famous role for a fourth time - was paid the figure between June 2008 and June 2009 as part of a deal that saw studio Paramount give the veteran star, director Steven Spielberg and producer George Lucas a percentage of the film's earnings.
Other stars to make the list, compiled by business bible Forbes magazine, include Adam Sandler, who came second after raking in 36.6 million pounds, Will Smith, who finished third with 30 million pounds, and fourth placed Eddie Murphy, who earned 26.6 million pounds.
Rounding off the top five was Nicolas Cage who, like Murphy, was paid 26.6 million pounds in the last 12 months.
Tom Cruise finished the year in seventh place, ahead of Brad Pitt in ninth.
Forbes compiled the list of top earning stars by speaking to agents, managers, producers and lawyers to find out what money stars received upfront for movies in development and earnings from released films.
Advertising and other earnings from the last 12 months were also taken into consideration.
Top ten
1. Harrison Ford
2. Adam Sandler
3. Will Smith
4. Eddie Murphy
5. Nicolas Cage
6. Tom Hanks
7. Tom Cruise
8. Jim Carrey
9. Brad Pitt
10. Will Ferrell

Oops! (Photos) Kimberley Vlaminck Passes Out - Awakes With 56 Tattoos

Oops indeed. Kimberley Vlaminck is ready to sue after she says she passed out and fell asleep while getting what she thought would only be three tattoos for her face. According to a report from the UK Sun, Vlaminck said she only wanted three tiny stars needled on to her face but claims tattooist Rouslan Toumaniantz got the instructions wrong.

He inked her with 56 stars and she is furious and claims he blew it. The tattoo artist says that's wrong, and she was awake through the whole thing and only freaked out after her dad and boyfriend threw a fit. he said, she sai - you bet. It looks like a poor choice, but will she score a settlement?
***Anything Hollywood has lots more photos of the starry-eyed - er starry-faced teen here and adds, "Valeminck said she is unable to go out and show her tattooed face and plans to remove them through a laser procedure. To remove the stars would cost roughly $14,000.'"But even the most advanced laser techniques would leave deep white marks all across Kimberley’s face after removing the tattoos. Poor girl!"