Inadequate Communication

A patient complained of an earache.  His right ear.  So his doctor prescribed him eardrops--antibiotic. The doctor prescribed eardrops for an earache.  

When the patient got the eardrops prescription filled the pharmacist wrote on the bottle... Three drops in r--for right--ear.  No space and no punctuation.  For "right ear," the instructions on the bottle read: r--ear.

That spells rear.

The patient said later he knew it sounded like a strange remedy for an earache but he had dutifully applied the three drops to his rear for three days before the error was discovered.

- reported by Paul Harvey on his radio broadcast on January 15, 1982; story was confirmed by the American Medical News

True Joy is Hard to Come By

Joseph Grimaldi (1778-1837) is remembered as history's greatest clown.  He was exclusively a theatrical clown, and is considered the "Father of Modern Clowning" because he is the entertainer who elevated the whiteface clown to a starring role.  He played for the King of England among others, and he made the world laugh.  So great was his reputation that a doctor once gave a patient who complained of depression this simple prescription: "You must go to the music hall and see Grimaldi."

The patient bowed and said, "I'm sorry, doctor, but with me that will not work.  You see, I am Grimaldi."

- Erik Brady, "Crown Prince og Baseball's Reign of Pain," USA Today, July 31, 1992.