Final Jeopardy: Medical History (1-12-26)
The Final Jeopardy question (1/12/2026) in the category “Medical History” was:
The viral rash known since 1866 by this Latin name was described a century earlier by Friedrich Hoffmann of the University of Halle
It’s the first semi-final of Champions Wildcard featuring these 3 champs: Ryan Sharpe, a recent graduate from Oakville, Ontario; Vickie Talvola, a quantitative trader from Jersey City, NJ; and Cameron Berry, data analyst & college administrator from Brighton, MA;
Round 1 Categories: Around the World – Spycraft – Let’s Go Out Tonight – Boss Level – Time for TV – Sounds Like Hockey?
Vickie found the Jeopardy! round Daily Double in “Around the World” under the $600 clue on the 6th pick of the round. She was in second place with $800, $1,800 less than Ryan’s lead. Vickie bet $1,000 and she was RIGHT.
This longest river in South Africa is named in honor of the Dutch royal family show
Ryan finished in the lead with $6,000. Cameron was second with $5,800 and Vickie was last with $5,400. All clues were shown.
Round 2 Categories: French History – I Will Survive! (Opera Edition) – 20th Century Lit – Like a Rocket – Movie Life Hacks – Crossword Clues “K”
Ryan found the first Daily Double in “French History” under the $1,200 clue on the 5th pick of the round. He was in the lead with $9,600 now, $3,800 more than Cameron in second place. Ryan bet it all and he was RIGHT.
Enacted in 1804 this comprehensive system of laws, with revisions, is still the operating civil jurisprudence in France show
Cameron got the last Daily Double in “20th Century Lit” under the $800 clue on the 13th pick of the round. In last place with $9,800, he had $11,400 less than Ryan’s lead. Cameron bet it all and he was RIGHT.
This language from Orwell’s “1984” was “designed…to diminish the range of thought” show
Cameron finished in the lead with $27,200. Ryan was in second place with $24,000, and Vickie was last with $15,800. All clues were shown.
Only ONE of the contestants got Final Jeopardy! right.
WHAT IS RUBELLA?
Rubella (little red) was originally called Rötheln (now Röteln) in Germany, when described by Dr. Friedrich Hoffman in the mid-1700s. Believed to be a milder case of measles (aka rubeola), it became known as German measles. In 1814, George de Maton was first to suggest that Rötheln was a separate virus, unrelated to measles. In 1866, English doctor Henry Veale proposed the name rubella, strange as that may seem to some. Didn’t that still make it seem related to measles?
Who remembers being quarantined after getting the measles?
Vickie thought it was rosacea. She lost $9,400 and finished with $6,400.
Ryan went with variola. That cost him $7,601 and left him with $16,399.
Cameron got it right! He bet $4,401 and won the game with $31,601. Cameron Berry is our first finalist.
2 triple stumpers from CROSSWORD CLUES “K”:
($1600) A mirliton that’s a cheap way to get a buzz (5 letters)
($2000) Dutch barge dog (8 letters)
2 years ago: NONE of the players got this FJ in “ON THE STAGE”
Paul Robeson said that even as this character “kills, his honor is at stake… the honor of his whole culture is involved” show
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2/3 on DD and got FJ. Zoned on the 1984 DD. As to Final, I had confirmation bias for scarlet fever, but, then, after discarding that, got it. Then, with it being German scientists, then, it was an after the fact hint!
I was really impressed with all 3 DDs being “all in” (Vicky’s $1k on $800 counts). That final score before final was lights out high!
Outstanding game, to say the least. In hindsight, Final seems almost gettable with the “viral rash” and the German scientist in the clue. I’m sure Dr. Jason knew it. I had all those childhood diseases before there were MMR inoculations. DDs all somewhat knowable but they answered them before I could come up with anything.
True story: my first year at Duke (2003), the guy that had made the connection to rubella not being a harmless exanthem, but an actual danger to pregnant women, talked to us. That was Dr Sam Katz. He was old, then, but just died in 2022, age 95. He also created the attenuated measles vaccine, working with Dr John Endres, who got the Nobel for isolating and growing the polio virus. The measles vaccine is still the one used today. But, the ONLY thing I recall him saying was that “any house staff that didn’t get a flu vaccine shouldn’t be able to work”. Since he sounded like an old man yelling at the clouds, he didn’t have the “word of God” effect he wanted, and none of us got the shot. Kinda trivial, yes.
Wow, talk about this being a very competitive game! Well, Cameron came up with the correct response in Fj, and for for him. As for me, I was stumped on FJ. Yeah, I did contract the German measles back in the early 1960s, but I wasn’t aware that it was also referred to as Rubella.
I was right in Final Jeopardy
This was an amazing game by all three players. Everyone played a perfect game and they were never incorrect for the whole game. That’s something we don’t see often.
Well, they all played very well for sure but, y’know, two of them were incorrect in Final Jeopardy so there’s that. Also, if Ryan had been right in Final, he and Cameron would have been tied, unless my calculator is lying.
That’s funny that they both wagered just enough to cover Vickys all in wager. Usually the person in the lead has to bet big