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Labcoats are traditionally white, the better to show spills and stains, minimize interactions with dyes, etc. more traditionally worn were dust jackets, which allowed chemists to wear a jacket which would hide stains (ah, we chemists do have such a wonderful attitude to safety...).

In the last few years, blue labcoats have been on the rise. These are polymer-based but non-flammable and hard wearing. However, these are used in chemical laboratories, not hospitals.

Is there an in-universe explanation for why a medical doctor (who would be potentially exposed to all sorts of hazards) would wear a lab jacket which would potentially hide stains?

user931
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Broklynite
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    In Star Trek, surgeons also wear red; https://78.media.tumblr.com/90e92360620bb2dcbb3c653bebd5ade8/tumblr_inline_nke7dv4we81qbj5a2.jpg – Valorum Oct 20 '18 at 10:21
  • Actually one of her coats was blue/green, it just looked blue under the arc lights; https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/Lot/beverly-crushers-lab-coat-4780218-details.aspx. The other was a much lighter blue, presumably to contrast more with her darker blue commanders uniform; https://images.propstore.com/238935.jpg – Valorum Oct 20 '18 at 10:25
  • That’s another good question, why the surgeons wear red – Broklynite Oct 20 '18 at 10:49
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    @Broklynite: the better to show Vulcan blood. – Paul D. Waite Oct 20 '18 at 11:08
  • Surgery patients also wear red! – Z. Cochrane Oct 20 '18 at 13:51
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    It looked well with auburn hair. – Organic Marble Oct 20 '18 at 15:53
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    @OrganicMarble - Indeed, hence why Data doesn't wear blue – Valorum Oct 20 '18 at 15:56
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    Is it a labcoat? Crusher is very rarely depicted as dealing with any dangerous substances, as she can examine patients remotely using a tricorder (no labs required!), and most of their medical procedures appear completely non invasive. – Kai Oct 20 '18 at 15:58
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    Real-world scrubs are often blue or green, both of which have ideal contrast with red blood and make it easily visible. The surgeons wearing red in Trek are an excellent example of how little the writers care. – gowenfawr Oct 20 '18 at 19:55
  • In a medical context, the coats are mostly to keep various fluids from getting on your clothes and being taken home with you. – Brian Ortiz Oct 21 '18 at 16:30
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    I believe that Crusher started wearing that coat because the actor Gates McFadden became pregnant and that labcoat covered up the bulge better than the tightly fit starfleet uniforms. – Cupit Jan 30 '19 at 13:51

1 Answers1

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I never heard this mentioned during any episode, but here goes.

This blue tone was the uniform colour code for science/medical. As casual a military organization as Star Fleet may be, members still have to follow rules and decorum.

Perhaps more significantly, I would surmise that Dr. Crusher would toss a used coat into the replicator every shift, or a dozen times a shift, with barely a second thought. The slightest suspicion she may have hazardous materials or stains would see the coat away into the recycling hopper. She would then order up a fresh, clean one in a matter-creation twinkle and her day continues.

There is also a more speculative train of thought concerning the Enterprise's sick bay technology. We saw them using "sterilization fields" which precluded the use of masks and other protective garments we use today. I think the odds likely the sick bay is awash in such fields and sophisticated sensor fields to keep track of pathogens and toxic stains (and alerting the staff if the automation couldn't deal with said contamination).

Blaze
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  • Starfleet isn't a military organisation – Valorum Oct 20 '18 at 14:34
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    @Blaze A more efficient use of time wou lbe if Crusher: 1. ordered a new lab coat, 2. threw the old one in the recycler while the replicator was working, and 3. grabbed the new one out of the replicator. – M. A. Golding Oct 20 '18 at 15:09
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    @Valorum There's dialog in TOS where Kirk says he's a soldier https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/108948/what-does-kirk-mean-by-im-a-soldier-not-a-diplomat – Kai Oct 20 '18 at 15:49
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    @M.A.Golding - An even more efficient use of her time would be to have Nurse Ogawa replicate a dozen each morning and hand her one every time she sees a stain on her boss. – Valorum Oct 20 '18 at 15:55
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    @M.A.Golding - An even even more efficient use of her time would be to have the computer beam the old one away and beam a new one onto her at periodic intervals. – Valorum Oct 20 '18 at 15:55
  • @Kai - I think Kirk is emphasising that he's more of a soldier than a diplomat. – Valorum Oct 20 '18 at 15:57