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Brunus edwardii
Status: Scientific humor
I recently received a nice letter from a reader in England:Dear Mr. Boese,
I have enjoyed the Museum of Hoaxes greatly. I do not know if you want any more examples, but if not just throw this away.
The Veterinary Record is the weekly journal of the Veterinary Profession, and I did the index for 36 years. So on 1st April 1972 I met some observations on the diseases of Brunus edwardii (Species Nova), Vet. Rec. (1972) 90, 382-395. It reads like a perfectly authentic scientific paper though the illustrations give the game away. So I suppose it does not really qualify as a hoax. I understand that the British Library had some difficulty with the classification! But the authors had great fun doing it. If you would be interested to see the text I will send you a photocopy. I am not a vet but a librarian, understandably retired at 92! With all good wishes for 2008.
Yours sincerely,
M.M. Raymer
I have enjoyed the Museum of Hoaxes greatly. I do not know if you want any more examples, but if not just throw this away.
The Veterinary Record is the weekly journal of the Veterinary Profession, and I did the index for 36 years. So on 1st April 1972 I met some observations on the diseases of Brunus edwardii (Species Nova), Vet. Rec. (1972) 90, 382-395. It reads like a perfectly authentic scientific paper though the illustrations give the game away. So I suppose it does not really qualify as a hoax. I understand that the British Library had some difficulty with the classification! But the authors had great fun doing it. If you would be interested to see the text I will send you a photocopy. I am not a vet but a librarian, understandably retired at 92! With all good wishes for 2008.
Yours sincerely,
M.M. Raymer
After debating whether or not to throw away her letter (of course not!), I decided to drive up to UCSD, where I hunted down the Veterinary Record (UCSD has a complete run of it), and made a copy of the article.
The article does describe, in a dry, scientific fashion, the diseases of Brunus edwardii, which is described as a species "commonly kept in homes in the United Kingdom and other countries in Europe and North America." The article warns that: "Pet ownership surveys have shown that 63.8 percent of households are inhabited by one or more of these animals, and there is a statistically significant relationship between their population and the number of children in a household. The public health implications of this fact are obvious, and it is imperative that more be known about their diseases, particularly zoonoses or other conditions which might be associated with their close contact with man."
The pictures do give the joke away:
 |  |
For months afterwards the correspondence section of the Veterinary Record was dominated by letters about Brunus edwardii. A few readers were outraged by it, such as A. Noel Smith who wrote:
I have been practising veterinary medicine for the past 12 years or more "across the pond" and my Veterinary Records arrive a month or more late. However, I still open them with interest and read what is going on "at home". April 1st's edition thoroughly soured my interest. How three members holding sets of impressive degrees can waste their time writing such garbage in a journal that is the official publication of the B.V.A. is beyond my comprehension, as is your effrontery to publish it under "Clinical Papers".
But most of the correspondents loved it. It proved so popular that it was eventually published in a special edition by Whittington Press.
Anyway, thanks to M.M. Raymer for the reference.
| More from the Hoax Museum Archives: | |||
Just a note, and I'm making an educated guess here.
"Brunus edwardii" seems to be a Latin version of "Edward Bear", which is the "proper" name of Winnie-the-Pooh. I found elsewhere that this paper did indeed make references to A. A. Milne's works.
(Brunus is Medieval Latin for "brown", akin to the name "bruin" for a bear.)
Posted by Kevin on Wed Apr 30, 2008 at 11:04 AM
"Brunus edwardii" seems to be a Latin version of "Edward Bear", which is the "proper" name of Winnie-the-Pooh. I found elsewhere that this paper did indeed make references to A. A. Milne's works.
(Brunus is Medieval Latin for "brown", akin to the name "bruin" for a bear.)
I assumed it was the 'proper' name for a teddy bear in general, and not specifically Pooh.
Posted by Charybdis in Hell on Wed Apr 30, 2008 at 11:23 AM
I hope Mr. Smith has found a sense of humor in the intervening years. He must have been real fun at parties.
Posted by KDP in Madill, OK on Wed Apr 30, 2008 at 12:53 PM
Edward Bear was a Toronto rock band formed in the late 1960s as the Edward Bear Revue. It played at first in Yorkville coffeehouses and as a trio began recording for Capitol in 1969. Members 1969-74 were the singer-songwriter-drummer Larry Evoy, the guitarist Danny Marks until 1971, replaced by Roger Ellis, and the organist Paul Weldon until 1972, replaced by Bob Kendal.Three of the band's singles were popular internationally: 'You, Me and Mexico' (1970), the million-seller 'The Last Song' (1972), and 'Close Your Eyes' (1973).
Posted by Canadarm in Toronto on Wed Apr 30, 2008 at 12:53 PM
This reminds me a little of the whole Di-Hydrogen Mono-Oxygen prank that prominently catches a new victim every couple of years. Take a common item, twist it's name to a scientific sounding version, then write it up with true details, but in such a way that it is not particularly obvious what the true subject of the article is.
Posted by TexasAndroid on Wed Apr 30, 2008 at 02:24 PM
Fun!
Posted by Maegan in Tampa, FL - USA on Wed Apr 30, 2008 at 04:55 PM
I think that's lovely! 
Posted by Madmouse in Edinburgh on Wed Apr 30, 2008 at 07:24 PM
I think poor Dr. Smith is suffering from culivirga condosis.
Posted by Crazy Ivan on Fri May 02, 2008 at 11:22 AM
noise from stuffed bear nose: ursinus sinus whinus, first discovered by Dr. Rufus Leeking, of Bent Noodle, Ohio.
Posted by Hairy Houdini on Fri May 02, 2008 at 03:09 PM
Applications of ultrasonography in the reproductive management of Dux magnus gentis venteris saginati, is a paper published in
The Veterinary Record 160:94-96 (2007), the journal of the British Veterinary Association. It was published to coincide with Burns' Night 2007. You may be able to guess the chieftain subject.
Posted by Scott Keir in London, UK on Sat May 03, 2008 at 04:27 PM
The Veterinary Record 160:94-96 (2007), the journal of the British Veterinary Association. It was published to coincide with Burns' Night 2007. You may be able to guess the chieftain subject.
Since "Teddy" is a nickname for "Edward," "Brunus Edwardii" is plausible dog Latin for "Teddy Bear."
Posted by Big Gary in Buffalo Bayou, Texas on Mon May 05, 2008 at 04:04 PM
Isn't that what I said? 
Posted by Charybdis in Hell on Tue May 06, 2008 at 10:12 AM
Yes, Charybdis, I was seconding and amplifying your comment.
Posted by Big Gary in Buffalo Bayou on Wed May 07, 2008 at 04:41 PM
I think poor Dr. Smith is suffering from culivirga condosis
Posted by giysi giydirme oyunları on Sat Oct 31, 2009 at 11:11 PM
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