Vomitorium – the word used correctly?

A pleasant little exchange in The Times about Eric Pickles’ use of the word ‘vomitorium’ in parliament.

Ross Anderson picked up the word, assumed that Eric Pickles was misusing it (as people commonly do) to mean the supposed place where people vomit. Eric Pickles wrote in reply that the pubs spewing out drunken youth are like the amphitheatre spewing out its clients.

At least that’s how I interpret the exchange. Eric, MP, may well have assumed more education in his fellow members – and reporters – than he found.