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Doctor Patella (French: Docteur Rotule) is an Osteologist at the Sprodj Atomic Research Centre.

History

It was he who helped treat Tintin and Professor Calculus of their injuries sustained at the Centre. Patella is also seen in Explorers on the Moon and is mentioned in The Castafiore Emerald when he wrote to Captain Haddock congratulating him when the news of the Captain's "engagement" with Bianca Castafiore.

Doctor Patella

Patella as seen in the book series.

In 2000, on one episode of the French-language version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? 73% of the voting audience correctly chose Patella (or Doctor Rotule, as he is known in the French version) as the doctor who treated Captain Haddock in Explorers on the Moon. This led to allegations that the show was rigged, questioning how could such a large portion of the audience could pick out of four options the correct answer, especially given Patella's very minor role in the series. A psychoanalyst postulated that children remember proper names much better than adults, hence its retention by members of the audience who read Tintin in their youth.[1]

References

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