As a nurse, there are some patients whose names I will never forget, as they have taught me something about the human body: Jane, whose now-healed, once-fungating wounds showed me the marvel of human skin; Rita, whose rare brain tumour showed me the complexity of disease, and James, the head-injury patient left for dead […]
There is little doubt that end of life care is important to everyone. People generally recognise that both they themselves, and those around them, may have specific fears, wishes, or requests when it comes to the end of life care. Starting any discussion surrounding end of life care can induce anxiety among health and social […]
To mark International Day of the Midwife on the 5th May 2017, The Hippocratic Post looks back to the challenges faced by the midwives in the Premature Babies’ Unit (1948) at Hammersmith Hospital, by British Pathe. […]
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Amputated tips of fingers and toes are very common injuries and with the right initial first aid treatment, they can very often be successfully re-attached. Amputated Finger: What to Do If part of a finger is amputated, the priority is to look after the child. Sit them down, reassure them and grab a cloth to […]
The population of people who are living with HIV and AIDS is ageing fast. This reflects the ‘good news’ story of the effectiveness of anti-retroviral drugs that have meant that many people with HIV now have a near-normal life expectancy. However, part of this growth is also new infections in the older age group, accounting […]
Populations around the world are ageing due to increased life expectancy and falling fertility. These shifts have been driven by improved healthcare, better infrastructure and medical innovations. But why do so many people struggle to see this as a good thing? The WHO’s recent World report on ageing and health recasts the “problem”. Rather than pointing the finger at older people and […]
Would you know what to do if you were first on the scene of a terrorist outrage where dozens of people were injured and dying? Last week, ordinary members of the public found themselves in exactly that position, faced with unimaginable scenes of suffering and carnage in the aftermath of the terrorist attack in London […]
Is birth by pre-labour Caesarean an extreme example of stress deprivation? In the framework of our cultural conditioning, ”stress’ has a negative connotation: we must avoid stressful situations. Meanwhile, in the current scientific context, it appears that stress hormones have multiple roles to play and the concept of ”stress deprivation” has recently emerged in scholarly […]
When I had my double mastectomy in February 2015, following a diagnosis of breast cancer, there was very limited information out there about how diet and nutrition could aid my recovery. The whole focus was on taking drugs to reduce pain and swelling. There is a still a dearth of facts about how you can […]
UK tap water contains very low levels of dissolved silicon or silicic acid (more often referred to as silica), which is unfortunate for the nation’s health. I think everyone should drink silicon-rich mineral water every day to remove toxic aluminium from their bodies and brains. Over the last 10 years, my team at Keele University […]
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