question about penicillin allergy - (Feb/13/2008 )
hehe. U could have given him a short lecture.
I find that ridiculous in developed countries when the doctors tell that to literate patients. But, it is not just doctors who have messed up the terms. They are taught in school to use the layman term used by patients to note and also to explain the patients - at least in my country. That does not justify changing virus to bacteria.
I was also told by an ENT doctor in Japan that my friend had pus in ear because of 'virus' and it needs antibiotic. But, came to know that in Japan people how much educated they may be call almost every pathogens 'vee-rus'. Correct me if I am wrong. That's what I was told.
But, a doctor in my country will not argue nor find it necessary to explain to a patient the difference between 'jaundice' and 'Hep A'. He just had 'jaundice' and 'jaundice' will be all right. But, if the patient has 'Hep B' or 'C' then doctor takes a lot of time to explain what is happening and why this 'jaundice' is not 'jaundice' but Hep B/C.
As for allergy, Oxford Advanced Dictionary defines ''allergy'' as al•lergy /'ael{shwa}d{phon_capz}i; NAmE 'ael{shwa}rd{phon_capz}i/ noun (pl. -ies) ~ (to sth) a medical condition that causes you to react badly or feel ill/sick when you eat or touch a particular substance: I have an allergy to animal hair. * Hay fever is caused by an allergy to pollen.
So, this definition fits with 'lactose intolerance' too though may be scientifically incorrect. Doctors are not just scientists and if some doctor sticks to science only then that is not good.
But, bacteria for virus is irrational. It must be just one doctor or just a group of doctors with similar teaching or misunderstanding. Did U correct him?
no i didnt correct him for two reasons:
1) why should i? i dont feel the urge to show of my scientific literacy in public! 
2) because i can imagine that the "common man from the streets" does not care at all if his sickness is caused by viruses, bacteria, protozoa, allergens, toxines or whatever. he/she just wants to be cured as fast and cheap as possible.
probably this doctor has to deal with such people more often than with people having knowledge about micro organisms.
so probably he is wont to call almost every pathogen "bacteria" just like the japanese doctor you wrote about calls everything "veerus".
and as long as its nothing to worry about (like hepatitis A)its ok by me.
and for the oxford dictionary:
yes this probably is the definition of allergy in everyday life but look closer. everything that causes you to feel sick when you eat or touch it? that would include gasoline aswell wouldnt it?
but look it up in any scientific dictionary or book and the first sentence will be something like:
disorder of the immune system. caused by allergens.
my favorite was when they were talking about the "flesh eating bug" on telly - not a bug (insect) but a bacterium (necrotising faciitis (sp?) if i remember)
anyway the point was they always showed a picture of a phage cos it was spiderlike and scary
the populus doesn't stand a chance
dom