A Collective Noun for “Pulmonologists”

Abstract

Arthur Conan Doyle's observation, “… it is sooth that for every collection of beasts of the forest, and for every gathering of birds of the air, there is their own private name so that none may be confused with another,” emphasizes the beauty, precision, and subtlety of English as a literary language. 1 Doyle AC Sir nigel. Smith, Eder & Co, London:1906: 88 Google Scholar Peculiar to English is the rich repository of collective nouns. There are many fanciful and poetic group terms that describe members of the medical profession. These include “a family of general practitioners,” “a hive of allergists,” “a rash of dermatologists” amongst many others. 2 Lipton J An exaltation of larks: the ultimate edition: more than 1,000 terms. Viking Penguin Books, New York:1991: 164-175 Google Scholar However, there is no collective noun to describe pulmonologists as a group. I suggest that we use a “wheeze of pulmonologists” to describe our tribe.