OK - I know this is a strange one

Where in Madrid can I buy a sphygmomanometer? They are the basic instruments for taking blood pressure.

A couple of good friends from Uni have heard that they are cheaper to buy in Spain and I thought I might bring them one each back, as a bit of a lighthearted gesture, from my trip to Madrid as a thank you for help they have given me.



Thanks

Jo

First prize in the 'Spelling Bee' to Jo-Anne for correctly spelling Sphygmomanometer! Hurrah!

I bought some instruments in Huelva, in a Farmacia (In Huelva most things are much less expensive than in Madrid). They had Sphygomanometers; but most of their stainless steel instruments were from Germany. So I can only assume that the top line sphygmomanometers are also from Germany.

Try a Farmacia. Ask them where you can find a medical supply store that sells to the public. My guess is that if there is one, it would be in Ciudad Universitaria.

I'll second the farmacia suggestion. In my neighborhood there are several that advertise that they do blood pressure checks, so I'd hope they sell the darn things.

Thanks you two

(Eddie, you wouldn't believe the number of times I checked and double checked the spelling of that word!)

OK, as my Spanish is pants, please could someone give me a basic line to use in the Farmacia - I can just see me getting some very strange looks when I struggle with not only the dreaded word itself, but the Spanish too

Thanks

Jo

I'll give you one: 'señor, es usted el tipo más guapo que he visto en mi vida. ¿es usted casado? ¿que hace esta noche?'

I cant even pronounce the word let alone know where to buy one. How about ebay?

Ignacio,
Muy gracioso!

Well, Ignacio, that would probably get me further than any attempt that I could make by myself Should I also ask if he has a sister :p ???

mencey, the reason I want to get them from Madrid, apart from them possibly being cheaper than UK, is that these two friends did a Camino earlier in the summer and ended up in Madrid. I know they attempted to find/buy one of the (difficult word) things each whilst there, and failed.

As for ebay - I've trained myself out of that one for the moment - that 'going going gone' section had me in it's power for a while

Jo

I was going to translate it later so that you wouldn't end in a naïve sudden problem with your beloved husband.

OK, if I am here, I could go along with you and help you with this matter. If not:

"Buenos dias, ¿Tienen ustedes (e)sfig*******whatever?"

"Cuanto cuestan?"

"Los tienen aquí o tienen que encargarlos?"

"¿Para cuando los tendrán?

¿donde puedo conseguirlos?

If your husband comes too, I remember he can speak a reasonable spanish.

P.S.: (Thank you for taking well the joke, I was a little uneasy). A cheek kiss.

You could try un aparato para medir la tensión which, in English is an apparatus (used) to measure (blood) pressure.

And, if he/she answers: "oh, you want a sphygmomanometer," you're home free.

Or you could just show him/her a copy of the picture you posted.

My medical dictionary says it is a "esfigmotonometro" with an accent over the second to last "o."

Sorry, I beleive you misspelt it, I tried that word in Google.es and it finds nothing but offers me "esfigmomanometro" where I find a lot of entries.

Hummm , maybe because the 1970 Spanish supplement to the three language Veillon/Nobel Medical Dictionary (English/German/French) we have in my office doesn't have the English spelled "sphygmomanometer" but rather "sphygmomotometer" (item 34936). Google seach in English wants to spell it "sphygmomonometer," and doesn't find the medical dictionary spelling. My 1960 edition of Webster's New World Dictionary has "sphygmomanometer" too. But who really cares as long as the farmacia has one you can buy however it is spelled!

Ignacio

The pharmacist's sister wasn't very nice, so I didn't get to buy a sphyg %^$#&&^%&^%&%thing

Thanks for everyone's advice and help though. It was an interesting challenge which I enjoyed. The ones I found were way to expensive, but it was fun trying to have a sensible discussion in the shops

A relaxing day ahead after 5 days of hyperactivity, today we are going to chill by the swimming pool at Casa de Campo ... who knows, maybe someone will have a thingy to sell there? :p

OK I'm off before I write more rubbish!

Jo

Hello Jo-Anne,

I came back on saturday as projected, although with a huge jet-lag and a headache.

I am sorry I didn't feel yesterday like meeting anybody. Sorry about the sphyg %^$#&&^%&^%&%thing.

I leave this very afternoon for Chekia and Poland, so I won't be able to row with you at the Casa de Campo lake. :p

I won't see you this time, I am afraid.