PHA-Exchange> Social Medicine Portal & some thoughts on violence to the English language

[Andersonma at aol.com]

Dear Friends,

Lanny and I  have put up a spotlight on the PHM and the upcoming PHA at 
www.socialmedicine.org.  I would be happy to make any additions that people on this 
list think are appropriate.  

With respect to the recent discussion of "healthy poor" it is perhaps useful 
to state the obvious:

The concept of "healthy poor" surely qualifies as a felony against the 
English language.  According to Mr. Webster poor means: "lacking in material 
possessions; having little or no means to support oneself; needy, impoverished."  
Health, on the other hand, is "physical and mental well-being; soundness, freedom 
from defect, pain or disease; normality of mental and physical functions."  

So to speak of the "healthy poor" is to enunciate an oxymoron, unless, of 
course, we argue that there are people for whom being needy is their normal state 
and one of wellbeing for them.  Now who would make such an argument?  It is 
certainly one found amongst the characters in the novels of Charles Dickens.  
Think only of Ebenezer Scrooge.

Best regards,

Matt Anderson
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