9 Comments
Sep 24, 2023Liked by Mr Law, Health and Technology

As a microbiologist I have to commend your thoroughness. Apart from the Letby case it raises the issue of hospital acquired infections which although long known and discussed in the literature and as seen in some comments here surprises many with its frequency. Antibiotic have led to a certain complacency but now resistance is becoming a problem I think we will hear much more. Drainage systems as you point out are a weak and rather neglected point in hospital design.

I tend to be more sanguine in my reactions because the sheer burden of pathogens circulating in natural and man made environments is very high. They exploit every aspect of human behaviour to contaminate survive and grow. But in this case as you are developing it - it possible impacts very greatly on the innocence or guilt of Lucy Letby

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I had assumed there was more awareness of pathogens and their symptoms. I am shocked.

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Ten years ago I had surgery in a modern hospital in CA/Central Valley.

I was instructed to take the bedding of my bed the eve before. I had to wash the sheets using hot water. And to wash other elements as hot as they could take. I then had to make my bed using the clean linens.

I was given two pieces of special soap and two plastic brushes. I was told to shower the evening before, shrub my complete body using the soap, especially my three armpits. I also had to was my hair thoroughly. I had to repeat the shrub/shower the next morning before I came to the hospital. I had to wear clean, freshly laundered underwear/clothes.

The surgery was done on my nose.

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NICU’s are places of hell. Torture is administered daily to tiny premature infants. It is stomache churning. If a premature infant is not viable at birth, shy do we insist on “saving” this baby that will suffer for the rest of its life. It is cruel, it is inhumane.

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Aug 20, 2023Liked by Mr Law, Health and Technology

My niece was born at 31 weeks and was in NICU. She’s now 7 and a perfectly healthy little girl. It was hardly torture and she’s gone on to live a wonderful life with her loving parents.

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Some of the babies Lucy cared for were born between 23 and 28 weeks.

A child born at 25 weeks can have problems, e.g. 1 in 10 will have a form of cerebral palsy.

So happy to read your niece is doing well !

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brilliant

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Sep 13, 2023Liked by Mr Law, Health and Technology

My daughter was also born at 31 weeks and weighed just 1012 grams. She's 12 now. Funnily enough, only a few weeks ago I was reflecting on how far she had come, since birth, whilst waiting for her to collect an award for her academic excellence.

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great stuff

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