From Andrew Hicks
Laura Spinney says that excited delirium (ED) sufferers “experience a
dangerous rise in body temperature”, that “other experts believe the emphasis
should be on changing police practice to avoid forms of restraint that make it
more likely that ED patients will die” and quotes Steven Karch as saying that
“even with optimum medical care they don’t stand much chance”.
Surely, to prevent ED deaths in custody, the emphasis should be on
identifying ED sufferers so that they can receive “optimum medical care”. This
could be as simple as taking the temperature of detainees who act strangely, and
needn’t be difficult or invasive, as an approximate temperature obtained with a
simple LCD strip on the forehead should be enough to identify high-risk
individuals. This might also identify other health problems that need attention.
andrewh@rivernet.com.au
