Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Xenopolycythemia

X is for Xenopolycythemia but what is it? Star Trek's classic "For the World is Hollow and I have Touched the Sky" stars the cranky Chief Medical Officer (played by Deforest Kelley) who ventures aboard a spaceship world in this funny love story. I remember Dr McCoy getting sick but really did any of us have a clue what Xenopolycythemia was? I had to look this one up online.

To begin with is Xenopolycythemia a real disease?

Online Medical Databases say no, Memory Alpha and Wikipedia say yes. Further investigation reveals "Polycythaemia" is a type of blood disorder characterised by too many red blood cells. So now we know. The plot thickens when we find out "Bones" is suffering from this rare incurable disease but lucky for him Natira (high Priestess to the Oracle) eases the pain. Rick Vollaerts wrote the script giving the good doctor about a year to live. Murderer!!! LOL.

It was a neat trick Vollaerts slapping "xeno" on the front of "Polycythaemia" but what purpose did it serve? It sure confused the heck out of me!

Xeno Long and Prosper,  Trekkers!



11 comments:

Jeremy [Retro] said...

I am confused and a germ nut that I don't want to catch this...

Jeremy [Retro]
AtoZ Challenge Co-Host [2015]

There's no earthly way of knowing.
Which direction we are going!

HOLLYWOOD NUTS!
Come Visit: You know you want to know if me or Hollywood... is Nuts?

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Obviously he lived longer than a year...

T. Powell Coltrin said...

I'm pretty certain I have it--Xenopolycythemia, whether it's real or not. I call it Xenopoly for short.

Billy Blue Eyes said...

That is a good one I have never heard of. Good on you

Tony Laplume said...

Still less awkward a diagnosis than what happened to him in "City on the Edge of Forever"...

SpacerGuy said...

I should really have called this the Yonda incident, LOL. It might have made more sense, still we're having fun through and through, aren't we?

Anonymous said...

Usually, xeno- means alien, but in medicine it can also mean "from outside the human body." In some circumstances, I've seen the term used to mean "unnatural" or "artificial." So maybe Dr. McCoy was exposed to an artificial substance that made him sick.

Jeffrey Scott said...

Was that the triforce I saw in the video clip? Just what we need. I Star Trek Link creossover.

Jo said...

Nasty name for what sounds like a nasty illness. How come he survived more than a year though?

SpacerGuy said...

I understand Jeremy, Trust Dr McCoy, he normally uses sterilite during surgery to prevent infection.

The Fabrini knowledge on the Yonda asteroid spaceship cured Dr McCoy but his original diagnoses was he had about a year to live.

Your having me on aren't you T. Powell Coltrin!

Thanks Bill

I wrote about that one Tony, City on the Edge is epic. All that cordrazine just made McCoy go bezerk!

Fascinating James. I've learned something new today, thanks buddy.

Star Trek is everywhere, Jeffrey.

The Fabini book of knowledge cured Bones Jo, so he continued to live!

Birgit said...

I liked this episode because, for once, some girl fell for Bones instead of Kirk or Spock. The other reason is I loved her dress

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