Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Random Question #9

Question: Where does the expression “I’ve got a frog in my throat” come from?



Answer: Everyone knows what it means nowadays.  We say this because we need to clear our throats or when we are hoarse, perhaps due to having a cold.  Surprisingly though, the expression doesn’t come from the fact that we sound like croaking frogs, but because of a bizarre medical practice from the Middle Ages.  Doctors used to put frogs headfirst into a patient’s mouth.  They believed that when the frog inhaled, it drew the infection out of the patient’s body and into its own.  Hence, you have a frog in your throat. 

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