Chocolate redesign stymies British testicle measurements

Michael sez, "According to this splendid article in the British Medical Journal, the recent redesign of two popular British chocolate snacks has disrupted a simple, affordable teaching method used to assess 'testicular volume' in pubescent boys."

We previously reported that two chocolates -- Teasers and Truffles -- were strikingly similar to the 8 ml bead of the orchidometer used to assess testicular volume. We therefore suggested that they could be used to stage puberty in males and, because of their wide availability and low cost, commended their use.

We were recently dismayed to discover that the manufacturer has changed the shape of both these chocolates. Both are now flat bottomed, and even non-specialists will notice that they bear little resemblance to testes. More disturbingly, they are no longer much use for assessing testicular volume. Only one of six paediatric endocrine specialists (comprising trainees, consultants, and specialist nurses) felt confident that they could use the new Teasers or Truffles to gauge testicular volume relative to the 8 ml cut-off which indicates that puberty is proceeding satisfactorily.

Link (Thanks, Michael!)

[#1 posted by Chocolatey Shatner , February 1, 2008 7:52 AM]

This will make the PERFECT article for me to share in the Evaluation seminar I am taking!

[#2 posted by joncro , February 1, 2008 8:14 AM]

do you mean testicle?
maybe it is testical

[#3 posted by phazeaction , February 1, 2008 8:27 AM]

testicle is a noun
testical is an adjective

the usage in the headline is proper

[#4 posted by Elliott C. 'Eeyore' Evans , February 1, 2008 8:42 AM]

I certainly wish they'd figured out how to write an article about testicles that did not include the hyphenated words "cut-off".

[#5 posted by valis , February 1, 2008 8:56 AM]

Every Chirtmas BMJ puts out a Christmas issue which is always hilarious. The whole issue is available go and read!

[#6 posted by Takuan , February 1, 2008 8:58 AM]

I suppose we should be grateful they are not using unnecessarily pointed calipers

[#7 posted by BWChicago , February 1, 2008 9:21 AM]

The British Medical Journal ate my balls.

(1996 meme anyone?)

[#8 posted by Shawn Wolfe , February 1, 2008 10:25 PM]

I still don't get how that yellow egg measures testicle volume, let alone a chocolate egg. I'm gonna read it again, wait right here...

[#9 posted by Shawn Wolfe , February 1, 2008 10:27 PM]

Were people using chocolate eggs to figure out how voluminous their testicles are?? I still don't get it... I'm gonna reread it again

[#10 posted by sabik , February 2, 2008 2:26 AM]

@shawn: you'd use it as a comparison - you'd have a series of beads of standard sizes and match them against the testicles. As for the chocolate egg, it used to be roughly the standard #8 size, but much cheaper and easier to obtain.

[#11 posted by Conte Anusfish , February 2, 2008 9:19 PM]

Best. Headline. EVAR.

[#12 posted by Chocolatey Shatner , February 6, 2008 9:45 PM]

Follow up: the professor said I didn't have to bring in another article for the rest of the semester.