The incident that landed a prominent Boston surgeon in trouble with colleagues has its roots in a curious Italian tradition.
Let’s lay our scene in fair Verona, where legend has it that touching the breast of a bronze statue of Juliet, Shakespeare’s star cross’d heroine, will revive the romantic fortunes of the broken-hearted.
The problem is, all the attention by thousands of tourists over the years exacted a heavy toll on the statue, according to media reports. The damage included a crack in Juliet’s right breast and another fracture in her right arm, which tourists often lean on as they have photographs taken.
In 2014, authorities relocated the statue to a museum for some restoration and hands-off display. A replica now graces the courtyard.
As the Globe’s Liz Kowalczyk reports, Dr. Jon Einarsson, speaking at a medical conference in November, showed a photograph of himself and a colleague touching the statue.
The incident ignited a broader discussion about sexism and sexual misconduct in the medical community.