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  3. Medical (general)

à froid

English translation: non-emergency situations

17:33 Nov 5, 2012
French to English translations [PRO]
Medical - Medical (general)
French term or phrase: à froid
This is an extract from an article about patients being administered the wrong drug in emergency situations:

[...] Ces trois cas décrivent une nouvelle fois une situation maintenant bien connue, mais qui persiste et continue à survenir souvent et dans tous les établissements. Les points communs entre ces trois cas arrivés dans le même établissement à quelques mois d’intervalle sont la ressemblance des ampoules et le contexte d’urgence. En effet, même si, à froid les ampoules sont differenciés par un petit point de couleur, dans l’urgence de la situation, le contrôle personnel est « allégé » ce qui peut entrainer ce genre de situation.

I need some help with the best way of translating "à froid" here please.
Melanie Cole
France
Local time: 14:20
English translation:non-emergency situations
Explanation:
that's what they mean i think
Selected response from:

jmleger
Local time: 07:20
Grading comment
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2non-emergency situations
jmleger
4cool
Pierre Lefebvre
4a calm glance
DouglasCarnall
3 +1if you take a close look
Nikki Scott-Despaigne
3 +1when not inflamed
cc in nyc
3Normally/ usually
Ricardy Ricot
1non-flared
MatthewLaSon
1on the shelf
Timothy Rake


  

Answers


7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
non-emergency situations


Explanation:
that's what they mean i think

jmleger
Local time: 07:20
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 23

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Pierre Lefebvre: yes
2 mins
  -> Thx!
neutral  philgoddard: This may be the right idea, but your translation doesn't fit the context. They don't just have little colored dots in non-emergency situations.
6 mins
agree  Michael Lotz
52 mins
  -> Thx!
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9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
cool


Explanation:
In fact even in a cool (controlled) situation....

Pierre Lefebvre
Brazil
Local time: 09:20
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench, Native in PortuguesePortuguese
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25 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5
non-flared


Explanation:
Hello,

Just a guess...

not flared up, swollen, etc.

I hope this helps.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 31 mins (2012-11-05 18:05:29 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"in a non-inflammatory state", perhaps

MatthewLaSon
Local time: 08:20
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 74
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34 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5
on the shelf


Explanation:
I'm just taking a stab here, but it seems within the context that they are talking about the moment when someone grabs for something "on the shelf" - in other words, in its storage or inventory "cold"="non-used" state, there's not a lot to differentiate between one and the other.

Timothy Rake
United States
Local time: 05:20
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 15
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
a calm glance


Explanation:
In the medical context "à froid" means "electively" or "non-urgently" (-->after inflammation has settled).

The sense of the sentence is clear: a calm glance would allow the ampoules to be identified by small coloured dots marked on them, but in emergencies the checking procedures break down.

DouglasCarnall
France
Local time: 14:20
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 94
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
if you take a close look


Explanation:
I think that it might be just as well to say it this way, even if it means using six words where the French uses two. I was about to suggest "at a quick glance", but that is close to the opposite. I don't think we can describe a slow look at something. Well, we can of course, but it sounds odd. No, I think we would say "close" look here.

Nikki Scott-Despaigne
Local time: 14:20
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 116

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Trudy Peters: Yes, I think that conveys the meaning well.
3 hrs
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
when not inflamed


Explanation:
IMO, based on the following:

FROID, FROIDE
I.A.1.b) Qui a été ou qui devrait être chaud. [...]
• </>MÉD. [En parlant d'un abcès] Qui n'est pas inflammatoire. [...]
Opérer à froid. Opérer sans état inflammatoire.
http://www.cnrtl.fr/definition/froid

cc in nyc
Local time: 08:20
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 50

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  MatthewLaSon: Nobody agreed with my answer, so I will agree with someone who's thinking like me (just a different wording). I think just saying "non-emergency situation" sounds a bit awkward when considering the sentence as whole.
5 days
  -> Thank you.
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12 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Normally/ usually


Explanation:
A suggestion. (normally/usually can be differentiated...)

Ricardy Ricot
Local time: 08:20
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
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