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Sick as a parrot

Posted by Tommy C R on July 30, 2006

Re sick as a parrot question by Colin Ride Dec 1st 2000. According to www.worldwidewords.org the phrase originated by britsh sportman in the 1970's, presumably when they lost whatever sport they participating in. The website also suggests that psittacosis a disease cause by bacteria Chlamydia psittaci, which affects parrots, but can be caught by humans by breathing in the germs, might have been the origin of the phrase. It has similar symtoms as pneumonia.

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