It was a conference on infertility. The academic discussion was over. There were sales representatives of a pharmaceuticals who had kept stalls at the venue. One of them decided to show off.
"Doctors, do you know how much distance a sperm travels to fertilize an ovum?"
I kept quiet because I do not speak in conferences. No one answered the question. Some thought it was presumptuous of a nonmedical sales representative to test the knowledge of doctors. Some thought it was a trick question and did not want to get caught.
"It is not a few centimeters, as you must believe" he said when he could not get anyone to answer his question. "It is 4.6 kilometers."
There was a stunned silence. I was polite and did not want to contradict him publicly. Some people thought he was off his rocker and were afraid he would assault them if they dared contradict him. Some thought he might be right, since he represented a pharmaceutical company, pharmaceuticals have a lot of money, and moneyed people are right and should not be contradicted. Since no one took the bait, he gave up. When I met him afterwards, I asked him,
"What makes you say a sperm travels 4.6 kn to fertilize the ovum?"
He looked proud that he knew the answer while I did not.
"It is not the distance between the vagina and the ovary" he said, "it is the distance the tiny sperm has to travel. It is 4.6 kilometers."
"The length of the uterine cavity is 6.25 cm and that of the fallopian tube is 8 cm. So the sperm has to travel 14 cm or so, not 4.6 kilometers" I said. "May I know the source of your information?"
He beat about the bush for some time and finally said "I heard that being said in the FOGSI conference."
That sounded interesting. "Exactly who said that?" I asked.
"Um... er..." his salesman's instinct prevented him from quoting a person for fear of losing potential customer.
"You are not correct" I said. "May I point out that a lot of young resident doctors heard you, and they will say this in their exam and perhaps fail."
He managed to look uncomfortable.
"Poor sperm would die of exhaustion if it had to swim 4.6 kilometers. Even if it did not die, it would be in no mood and condition to do something romantic like fertilizing an ovum" remarked another Professor nearby.
"Doctors, do you know how much distance a sperm travels to fertilize an ovum?"
I kept quiet because I do not speak in conferences. No one answered the question. Some thought it was presumptuous of a nonmedical sales representative to test the knowledge of doctors. Some thought it was a trick question and did not want to get caught.
"It is not a few centimeters, as you must believe" he said when he could not get anyone to answer his question. "It is 4.6 kilometers."
There was a stunned silence. I was polite and did not want to contradict him publicly. Some people thought he was off his rocker and were afraid he would assault them if they dared contradict him. Some thought he might be right, since he represented a pharmaceutical company, pharmaceuticals have a lot of money, and moneyed people are right and should not be contradicted. Since no one took the bait, he gave up. When I met him afterwards, I asked him,
"What makes you say a sperm travels 4.6 kn to fertilize the ovum?"
He looked proud that he knew the answer while I did not.
"It is not the distance between the vagina and the ovary" he said, "it is the distance the tiny sperm has to travel. It is 4.6 kilometers."
"The length of the uterine cavity is 6.25 cm and that of the fallopian tube is 8 cm. So the sperm has to travel 14 cm or so, not 4.6 kilometers" I said. "May I know the source of your information?"
He beat about the bush for some time and finally said "I heard that being said in the FOGSI conference."
That sounded interesting. "Exactly who said that?" I asked.
"Um... er..." his salesman's instinct prevented him from quoting a person for fear of losing potential customer.
"You are not correct" I said. "May I point out that a lot of young resident doctors heard you, and they will say this in their exam and perhaps fail."
He managed to look uncomfortable.
"Poor sperm would die of exhaustion if it had to swim 4.6 kilometers. Even if it did not die, it would be in no mood and condition to do something romantic like fertilizing an ovum" remarked another Professor nearby.
