Dr. Catherine Goes to School

Catherine took the invitation from the Grade V teachers at Roslyn to come to school to talk about her profession, as have other parents in the class. Catherine has two grade fivers,  so I got to listen to the ½ hour presentation twice, once in each room. Catherine went to the hospital to pick up her reflex hammers, a second stethoscope, and some pamphlets that she thought the kids would like. One was meant for the parents she told the kids, and that one says that chocolate milk is good for children – better than juice. The other pamphlet encourages kids to wear their helmets when doing winter sports. She also had some tongue depressors and some masks the Drs wear, as handouts for the kids.
Catherine told the classes that she thinks that Dr.s are scientists really, who do experiments all of the time. Then she proceeded to prove her point.

Experiment I
In her pocket was a package of balloons. She told them that if they would take a big gulp of air and then blow all of the air into the balloon of their choice, they would be able to see exactly how much air their lungs can hold.

Experiment II
They got to take their blood pressure with the monitor she brought in, or alternately listen to their own heart beat with her stethoscope.

Experiment III
Catherine thinks that the body’s nervous system is faster than any computer. To prove her hypothesis, she had a child sit on the desk, her legs hanging over it in a relaxed fashion, and then that student was to look away. Catherine hit the student’s knee with her reflex hammer and the student’s leg kicked out.

Catherine’s analysis was that the nervous system said to the brain, Hey, I just felt a hammer on my knee and I don’t like it; the brain said, OK, you can give a swift kick to the person who did it. She claims that happens faster than any computer can work.

Then each class broke into four groups to try experiments – taking pulses, looking at tonsils, blowing air in balloons, the two stethoscopes being passed and the reflex hammers in full use.

Catherine had a candle paddle in her box of physician's tools. When the teacher asked what that was for, Catherine said, “This is not a Dr's tool. This is what we used in our family to beat candy with. I have brought some caramels for all of you.”

Obviously Catherine is not a dentist.

Arta