Sexism and parasitic worms dilemma

TELL a woman she reminds you of a parasitic worm and she’ll klap you – quite justifiably, in my opinion.

Yet, it seems there’s a clamour in New Zealand for parasitic worms to be named after female scientists. A dickens of a row has blown up over it, according to Sky News.

A report claims the naming of the creatures is sexist. A team of scientists, led by a parasitologist, scoured studies in eight journals published between 2000 and 2020.

Of the 596 parasitic worm species named after eminent scientists, only 111, or 19%, recognised women, according to New Zealand’s University of Otago.

“We found a consistent gender bias among species named after eminent scientists, with male scientists being immortalised disproportionately more frequently than female scientists,” said the study.

Shame on you, Kiwis! And who says it’s applicable only to parasitic worms? What about research into the rest of the creepy-crawlies and amoeba? Yet it’s probably still not a good chat-up line anywhere in the world to ask a gal if she by any chance has a parasitic worm named after her.

Tunes to remember

MY RETIRED GP writes in to say he much enjoyed the somewhat scatological limerick in last Friday’s column concerning Rodin’s sculpture, The Thinker.

He says it reminded him of the time he attended to an elderly lady who suddenly produced a protracted instance of flatulence.

“I called it the ‘Trumpet Involuntary’.”

This is a medic of musical bent. Some tunes you just never forget.

N3 UDI

SOME time ago, I declared UDI from the N3 motorway which, since the collapse of the rail system between Gauteng and the port of Durban, has become a lunatic racetrack of ordinary traffic and monstrous multiwheel lorries.

The old road, the Comrades Marathon route, is by contrast relaxed, scenic and a pleasure. You also save significantly on petrol by not gunning the engine.

But just beyond Camperdown there are roadworks on the old route, which can be confusing. “Ashburton?” I asked the guy with the red flag at the road diversion. He nodded and waved me through.

Misunderstanding! Next thing I was on the N3, racing with the monster trucks. Horrors! But then, about one kay on, a glide-off to Ashburton.

Phew! Sanity again. After the floods a few more potholes to dodge but at the sedate pace of the old road it becomes quite fun.

Tailpiece

THIS fellow is being arrested by a female police officer who tells him: “Anything you say can and will be held against you.” His reply: “Boobs!”

Last word

HUMAN beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.