ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors' sensitivity to the possibilities of using urban myth or rumour as a basis for analysis in medical sociology was raised by a paper written by a colleague, Robert Dingwall. In Dingwall's work, rumours surrounding theft of kidneys from young people after attending nightclubs had a definite moral quality. Castaneda is clear that 'rumour is a site in which the play of authorization and de-authorization of risk makes itself especially evident’. Rumours could provide an informal means by which the laity can control professionals - by rumour about their manner, expertise. Morin further argues that rumour should also be seen as a protest against modernity; in this instance the Internet and consumerism form the avant-garde. Patients with helpful information gained from the Internet were reported to tend generally to be more time consuming in the consultation, which can lead to the GP having problems managing their patient workload.
