The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

MY SISTER IN LAW, WHO IS A NURSE AT PONTIAC OSTEOPATHIC
HOSPITAL, TOLD ME THIS STORY. SHE HEARD IT FROM A DOCTOR OR
NURSE WHO WORKS IN THE OBSTETRICS FLOOR AT THE HOSPITAL.
THE DOCTOR OR NURSE TOLD MY SISTER IN LAW ABOUT A PAIR OF
TWIN GIRLS THAT WERE BORN NOT TOO LONG AGO. WHEN THE NURSE
WENT TO THE MOTHER'S ROOM TO ASK THE PARENTS WHAT THEY WERE
GOING TO NAME THEIR DAUGHTERS, THE MOTHER REPLIED THAT SHE
PICKED OUT TWO BEAUTIFUL NAMES, (SAID PHONETICALLY)
SA-PHILLY-US AND GO-NORE-REA. THE NURSE ASKED THE WOMAN HOW
TO SPELL THE NAMES AND SHE REPLIED, S-Y-P-H-I-L-I-S AND
G-O-N-O-R-R-H-E-A

Submitter comment: MY SISTER IN LAW SWEARS THAT THIS IS TRUE AND IT DID HAPPEN
AT PONTIAC OSTEOPATHIC HOSPITAL.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; PONTIAC

Keyword(s): GONORRHEA ; HUMOR ; SYPHILIS

Date learned: 00001980S

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MY MOTHER WORKED FOR THE DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE
EARLY 1920'S. SHE TAUGHT A LOT OF POOR BLACK CHILDREN. SHE
ALWAYS LAUGHED ABOUT THE NAMES SOME OF THE CHILDREN WERE
GIVEN, TWO IN PARTICULAR. SHE SAID THERE WERE TWO SISTERS'
NAMED SYPHILIS AND GONORRHEA, BUT THEY PRONOUNCED THEIR
NAMES SA-PHILLY-US AND GO-NORE-REA.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT SAYS SHE HEARD THIS MANY TIMES FROM HER MOTHER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): GONORRHEA ; SYPHILIS

James Callow Keyword(s): HUMOR

Date learned: 00001920S

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