From Chris Warman
Shelley Kagan’s article about death is for the most part a bracing response to our fears, but as a British citizen of a certain age I have my reservations about the statement: “One thing you might worry about is the process of dying” (20 October, p 42). At the moment, we are hearing that elderly people in hospital in the UK are at risk of neglect as a result of indifferent nursing. If likely to die in the near future we may be put on the “Liverpool Care Pathway”. This involves heavy sedation and the withdrawal of food and fluids.
This is claimed to ease the passing of those deemed by hospital staff to be terminally ill, but is believed by some to intentionally speed “bed-blockers” on their way.
The most frequent response to sudden death in my age cohort is: “An awful shock for the family; but he/she was lucky.”
Dick Teresi’s article on diagnosing death (20 October, p 36) reminded me of the Bateson Life Revival Device, patented in 1852 and advertised as “a most economical, ingenious, and trustworthy mechanism… promoting peace of mind amongst the bereaved”. It consisted of an iron bell mounted on the gravestone with a wire down to the deceased’s hand.
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There is no record of this device actually saving anyone’s life.
Binbrook, Ontario, Canada
Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire, UK
