Two quick mnemonics: Janeway lesions vs. Osler nodes in bacterial endocarditis

Dr. Osler is a pain, is always pointing fingers, and is immune to criticism.”

“Jane feels no pain palming things from Mac. She looks septic.” (“Palming” being another word for “stealing”)

Per Stanford University’s Stanford Medicine 25 program for physical exam skills, Osler nodes are painful, palpable red lesions usually on fingers/toes that are caused by immune complexes.
Meanwhile, Janeway lesions are non-painful, macular lesions, found usually on palms/soles and caused by septic emboli, more commonly in Staph aureus endocarditis.

At the risk of sounding crude, you might be able to remember these eponymous physical exam findings by using two mnemonics. Paint yourself an imaginary picture of the “father of modern medicine” being a belligerent bully who is a pain to work with, is always blaming others, and does not accept any criticisms in life. Meanwhile, think of Jane, the eponym of the famous rock song “Jane Says”–a sickly-looking young woman addicted to heroin who has no problem stealing from her friend Mac, or from the MAC, the cosmetics store.

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