Dr. Thompson was pleased. Just three months after moving to the small Midwestern town, he had been invited to address an evening meeting of the Chamber of Commerce. Here was the perfect opportunity to show his knowledge of modern medicine and to get his practice off to a flourishing start. With this in mind, the doctor prepared carefully.
On the night of his speech, Dr. Thompson was delighted to see that the meeting hall was full. After being introduced, he strode confidently to the lectern and announced his topic: “Recent Advances in Medicine.” He began with a detailed discussion of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a rare brain disorder that had recently been covered in the New England Journal of Medicine. Next he outlined the progress that had been made in studying immune system disorders.
What was the reaction of the audience to Dr. Thompson’s speech?