Wednesday, 31 October 2007

"I blame that lot over there!"

The Listener points out a certain aspect of nationalism:

- The Italians called it “the French disease”.
- The French called it “the Italian disease”.
- The Dutch called it “the Spanish disease”.
- The Russians called it “the Polish disease”.
- The Tahitians called it “the British disease”.
- The Turks, covering all possible bases, called it “the Christian disease”.

We are, of course, talking about syphilis. Can anyone think up a justification for calling it the Australian disease, off-hand?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Why? Do the Aussies refer to it as "the Kiwi Pox?"