1

2


3



The Surgo Team
Editor in Chief:
Josh Nielsen
Assistant Editor:
James
Tadjkarimi
Arts editor extraordinaire:
Tom Baddeley
Finance editor:
Lucy Waite

Production editor:
Katie Lunn
The Surgo Contents

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N7('(0)*N7> I> !(##'+, -,)). NFQN.&/ =(+% I>
/+(),*0. =G*+N4+ +4/' I> 1(*), 2,*3"),
NB All photos are genuine Facebook profile pictures (though some less than current), apart from James, who doesnt have
Facebook, and is therefore a squid.


4
!"##$ "&"'($)"* +), -"#.$/" 0+.1* 23"
!+##$-"") ",424$) $5 67'8$
9
. A mlxed bag of
Lrlcks and LreaLs awalLs you Lhls lssue, as we cover
sub[ecLs boLh serlous and sllly, and a few [usL sLrange
[GF4 RP@&+4= '74Q4].

uo you remember when you were afrald of Lhe dark?
Popefully you're noL sLlll, as ln adulL llfe Lhere are
much scarler Lhlngs Lo concenLraLe on belng afrald of,
llke consulLanLs
2
. As a chlld, fear of Lhe dark ls Lhe
flrsL of all our fears because lL conLalns all Lhe oLhers.
1he darkness ls essenLlally Lhe unknown, a blank
canvas upon whlch we can pro[ecL anyLhlng and
everyLhlng, from snakes Lo werewolves Lo Ldward
Cullen. And Lhe ulLlmaLe unknown, of course, ls deaLh
- regardless of falLh or convlcLlons, and however
deaLh comes for you, no one knows for cerLaln whaL
happens nexL. ln medlclne, Lhe commonly held bellef
ls LhaL your [ob ls, ln one way or anoLher, Lo save
llves, and desplLe Lhe cllche l Lhlnk mosL of us belleve
LhaL aL leasL a llLLle blL. 8uL as Scrubs' ur. Cox once
sald ln an lnslghLful momenL beLween ranLs -
LveryLhlng we do ls, ulLlmaLely, a sLall."

ln Lhls Palloween edlLlon of Surgo Lhen, we'll be
Laklng a look aL deaLh, and parLlcularly whaL lL means
for us as fuLure docLors. ln :;"+23 <) =3" >!6?,
roducLlon LdlLor @+24" A7)) and /(B"#5 wlll be
lnvesLlgaLlng Lhe pracLlcallLles of deaLh for cllnlclans -
Lhe Lypes of deaLh, when and how lLs declded Lo
wlLhdraw LreaLmenLs, Lhe roles of palllaLlve care, and
[usL whaL happens when, desplLe all efforLs, a paLlenL
does pass away.

LaLer, we'll also be examlnlng Lhe conLenLlous sub[ecL
of +BB4B2", B74.4,", whlch has recenLly aroused a
greaL deal of debaLe ln Lhe news, and whlch has
dlrecL relevance for us as fuLure physlclans. Myself
and AsslsLanL LdlLor C+/"B =+,D1+'4/4 wlll be laylng
ouL Lhe background and mosL recenL developmenLs ln
Lhe area, along wlLh Lhe mosL common argumenLs ln
Lhe for and agalnsL debaLes.
1hls monLh also marks Lhe 30
Lh
annlversary of 23"
E),"B 5#4832 ,4B+B2"', when a passenger plane
carrylng 43 people from uruguay Lo Chlle crashed ln
Lhe Andes. kaLle Lunn wlll be reLelllng Lhe sLory of
Lhe 16 survlvors, one of whom was a medlcal
sLudenL hlmself.

Powever, Lo prevenL mass depresslon followlng
publlcaLlon, we'll also be havlng a poke around
ghosLs, monsLers, and myLhs ln general, Lo see lf
anyLhlng funny falls ouL.

MarkeLlng LdlLor A7.( F+42" wlll be Laklng a Lour of
Clasgow's more spooky nlghLspoLs as she explores
Lhe besL ghosL sLorles Lhe clLy's bloody hlsLory has
Lo offer ln !+7)2", G#+B8$-".

ArLs LdlLor =$/ H+,,"#"( Lells us abouL some of Lhe
sLranger dlseases you won'L flnd ln kumar & Clark ln
=+#"B I5 =3" F!E= =!J !JAA <6 =!E=", and casLs
hls predlcLlons for Lhe comlng monLhs ln ="#"B24.
=$/KB !$'$B.$L"".

And lasLly, because whaL ls Palloween abouL lf noL
soclal lnebrlaLlon, resldenL alcohollc C+/"B
=+,D1+'4/4 wlll be brlnglng us E 6".'"2 !4B2$'( I5
=3" M70?N

We hope you en[oy Lhls Palloween edlLlon of Surgo.
And remember, when ln doubL:
- uon'L go ln Lhere
- uon'L spllL up
- lL's almosL deflnlLely behlnd you

Pappy Palloween!

!osh nlelsen
Surgo LdlLor 2012-2013

1 - Or Bonfire Night edition, depending how we go with deadlines
2 Plus, given Glasgows seasonally decreasing daylight, youll
spend roughly 80% of your December terrified


5
A&E Department
Glasgow Royal nfirmary
Patient Admission Form
Date: !"#$!#%&
Time: !'($)
Name: *+ - ./012 Age: 345627/8295
Presenting CompIaint:
Past MedicaI History:
SociaI History
Drug History
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A & L ueparLmenL
Clasgow WesLern lnflrmary
M+24")2 E,/4BB4$) O$'/B
Name: Mr. Jacob Ee
Age: Undisclosed
Presenting Complaint: Confused, found wandering in Kelvingrove Park
Past Medical History: Notes show treated for large animal bite 1/12 ago
Family History:
Drug History:
Social History:
Examination: Signs of neglect - hair overgrown, abnormally long nails and teeth
Diagnosis: ?Homeless alcoholic
Management: Referal to social services. Non-urgent patient has been playing
with a chew toy someone gave him in A&E and seems pretty happy.
Date: 31/10/12
Time: 20:07
Name: Mr. Hydimeanjekyll
Age: 42
Presenting Complaint: Injuries following violent assault
Past Medical History: Nil of note
Family History: Nil of note
Drug History: Patient admits to self-medication but refuses to state what with
Social History: History of trouble with police. Former doctor. Now claims to work in a
League for some Extraordinary Gentleman - ? male prostitute
Examination: Tremor, sweating, signs of withdrawal
Diagnosis: Severe bipolar disorder
Management: Confiscate medication, urgent psychiatric referral
Date: 31/10/12
Time: 22:14
Unable to establish proper history - accent so strong just
sounds like growling
Name: Mr. Drake Yula
Age: 128
Presenting Complaint: Dizziness + collapse
Past Medical History: Patient notes unavailable
Family History: Looks shifty and says Theyre all fine.
Drug History: Garlic allergy. Repeat presciption factor 90 sunblock.
Social History: Former addict, but claims to be reformed since finding steady work
at Red Cross
Examination: Skin pallour, unable to locate pulse. Numerous scars from repeated
trauma to precordium.
Diagnosis: Chronic anaemia secondary to porphyria (Stokers Syndrome)
Management: Stake through the heart, this patient is clearly a vampire.
Date: 31/10/12
Time: 23:59
Signed: Dr. Josh Nielsen



6
Wheie Anu When Boes The
Enu Begin.
What is ueath. The question is not as simple as it fiist
seems. Is it a single event. Is it a piocess. Is it even a
thing, oi just an absence. The pioblem of uefining ueath
is a long-stanuing one, anu vaiious attempts at an
answei have been maue ovei the centuiies by
scientists, philosopheis, anu anyone else who fancieu a
go. A common one has been that ueath is the cessation
of consciousness, but many living things, such as single-
celleu oiganisms, cannot be saiu to be conscious in the same way that humans oi animals aie. Fuithei,
uespite hunuieus of yeais of uebate, philosopheis anu psychologists have all faileu to ieach a consensus
on what uefines a conscious being. Anothei attempteu solution has been that ueath is the point at which
life ceases, but this has similaily leu back to questions of uefinitions in what uefines life. Even leaving
asiue these semantic uisputes, science has stiuggleu to pioviue an answei in puiely biological teims. In
the context of mouein meuicine, with its aiiay of life-piolonging machines anu pioceuuies, the question
has taken on new uimensions - wheie pieviously ueath coulu be uefineu as the cessation of the heaitbeat
oi bieathing, with uefibiillation anu aitificial ventilation, both of these can be iestaiteu, anu life can
continue without the lungs anu heait being able to function inuepenuently.

With the uevelopment of life suppoiting technologies, the meuical ciiteiia foi ueath have incieasingly
focuseu on the biain as the most essential oigan foi vital functions. In the 0S the uefinition of "whole
biain ueath" is favouieu, anu often involves EEus to confiim the absence of electiical activity in the biain.
While a veiy thoiough anu ceitain uefinition, some have aigueu it has leu to patient's lives being
neeulessly piolongeu when theie has been no iealistic chance of iecoveiy, as uiffeient aieas may continue
to woik while otheis fail. In the 0K, ciiteiia aie baseu on biain stem ueath, anu incluue:
A loss of biain stem ieflexes
A loss of consciousness (e.g. ueep coma)
A loss of ability to spontaneously iespiie
Exclusion of othei causes than iiieveisible biain steam uysfunction, e.g. uiug intoxication,
hypotheimia, hypoglycaemia, electiolyte imbalances
Bowevei, even these ciiteiia aie not without theii ciitics, anu theie is still uebate as to the best way to
asceitain a patient's ueath.

}unioi uoctois will come into contact with ueath in two foims - expecteu anu unexpecteu, both of which
we will be uiscussing. Foi expecteu ueath, the physician can still pioviue caie anu comfoit, anu the
Liveipool Caie Pathway, uiscusseu on the opposite page, pioviues a mouel of caie foi the uying. Foi
unexpecteu ueath, we will examine the most fiequent causes of moitality foi patients in hospital, the
meaning of BNRs, anu the pioceuuies uoctois must go thiough on the ueath of a patient.
DEATH IN
We all learn about keeping patients alive, but how much do we know about when they die? Josh Nielsen


7
THE NHS

Nany of you may have seen patients on waiu iounus who aie not long foi this woilu - these patients aie often "foi
TLC" oi "on the LCP" anu as such geneially not the focus of teaching. You may have also wonueieu how the
longituuinal caie pioject is involveu in palliative meuicine. The acionym actually stanus foi the Liveipool Caie
Pathway. This is an integiateu caie pathway useu to manage patients at the enu of life. It is basically a uocument
placeu in the patient's notes anu useu by all staff involveu in the patient's caie to assess, manage anu iecoiu the
patient's caie in the last uays to houis of life. The LCP aims to tianslate into a hospital setting the excellent mouel
of caie that uying patients ieceive in hospices
anu is iecommenueu by NICE as best piactice in
the caie of the uying.
Common symptoms in the uying incluue
nausea, pain, agitation, uyspnoea, uysphagia,
incontinence, incieaseu iespiiatoiy secietions,
loss of appetite anu confusion. 0ne of the piimaiy
functions of the LCP is to focus the caie of the
patient on the successful management of these
symptoms. As well as the caie of physical
symptoms, the uocument also aims to guiue staff
in auuiessing the psychological, spiiitual anu
social neeus of the patient anu theii family at the
enu of life. This may involve the use of the
hospital counselling, chaplaincy oi specialist
palliative caie seivices. The LCP is uiviueu into
seveial sections ianging fiom assessment anu
management of the uying patient to caie of the
patient aftei ueath.
This all sounus veiy goou anu when useu well it is a
successful tool. Bowevei use of the LCP is
contioveisial. Newspapeis
incluuing The Baily Nail
anu The Telegiaph have
taken a iecent campaign
against the use of the LCP,
ienaming it the "Liveipool
Beath Pathway" anu likening
it to backuooi euthanasia uue to the withuiawal of meuication, clinically assisteu
nutiition anu hyuiation. Although this is mostly scaiemongeiing anu ties in nicely with
theii othei uoctoi-bashing, anti-NBS campaigns, it is woiiying that laige sections of the
meuia anu public appeai to have little confiuence in the LCP oi the way we caie foi the
uying.

The Marie Curie Palliative Care Institute Liverpool. The Liverpool
Care Pathway for the Dying Patient (LCP) Core Documentation.
Version 12. December 2009.
and Katie Lunn examine the realities and practicalities of death for junior doctors.


8
What Is A BNRBNACPR, Anu Why Woulu
Someone Bave 0ne.

BNR is Bo Not Resucitate, anu is an oiuei commonly seen in patients in the waius with auvanceu uisease. In
Scotlanu the oiuei is known as a BNACPR oi "Bo Not Attempt CPR". It is a
ieu foim placeu in the patient's notes uocumenting that in the case of
caiuiopulmonaiy aiiest, tieatment with CPR shoulu be withhelu. The foim
shoulu be cleaily signeu anu uateu anu must be upuateu if the patient's
conuition changes. The uecision will geneially be leu by the Consultant anu
shoulu always be uiscusseu with the patient anuoi theii ielatives anu
must always be communicateu to the nuising staff.

The uecision to have a BNACPR will be maue if one of two conuitions aie
met: Eithei the patient has maue a competent auvance iefusal of tieatment
with CPR "# the meuical team has come to the uecision that tieatment with
CPR woulu not be foi the oveiall benefit of the patient (CPR can be a veiy aggiessive piocess, with complications
incluuing iib fiactuies, steinal fiactuies, heait contusions anu uamage to the abuomen anu uppei aiiway). In the
case of the lattei, a meuical BNACPR uecision shoulu be baseu on clinical juugement that CPR woulu fail to
achieve sustainable bieathing oi ciiculation foi the patient iathei than any juugement about the quality of life
that coulu be achieveu.

!"# %& ' (')*+,) -*). ,/ 0!1234 '55+6)67 ).+5+ 6./89: '9-';6 <+ ', *,*)*'9 '668=()*/, *, &'>/85 /& 234?
What Bo Patients Bie 0f In Bospital.

While some patients aumitteu to hospital, foi instance uue to teiminal cancei, may be expecteu to uie uuiing theii
stay, otheis may uie in a suuuen, unexpecteu mannei. Theie aie many uiffeient possible causes, anu statistics on
causes of hospital in-patient ueaths aie haiu to come by, but a (veiy cuisoiy) liteiatuie seaich showeu the
following to be amongst the most common causes of suuuen, unexpecteu ueath:

! Caiuiovasculai causes
o Caiuiac aiiest
o Ischaemic heait uisease
o Aneuiysm iuptuie
! Neuiological causes
o Stioke
o Subaiachnoiu haemoiihage
o Neningitis
! Respiiatoiy causes
o Pulmonaiy embolism
o Tension pneumothoiax
o Infection e.g. pneumonia
! 0thei infectious uiseases e.g. leauing to septicaemia
! Post-opeiative complications
0f these, the most common by fai is caiuiac aiiest (cessation of noimal bloou flow uue to failuie of the heait to
pump effectively), which contiaiy to its uepiction sometimes in populai cultuie, is iaiely non-fatal without the
use of auvanceu caie techniques such as uefibiillation.


9
What Bappens When A
Patient Bies.

Beath must fiist of all be ueclaieu by a uoctoi, as uesciibeu
in the table on the iight. "Last offices" aie then caiiieu out
by nuising staff. These aie also known as "laying out" the
patient. It is the final act of caie that can be affoiueu to a
patient anu as such is an act of uignity, iespecting the
patient's cultuial anu ieligious beliefs. The patient is laiu
flat on the beu with one pillow to suppoit the heau anu
aims at the siues. A pillow oi ceivical collai may be useu to
ensuie the jaw iemains suppoiteu.
DECLARING DEATH

A common bleep request for the Junior Doctor.
Whilst not an urgent request, the patient cannot be
transferred to the morgue until it is done. Check for:
- Reaction to voice
- Reaction to pain (sternal rub/ press on supraorbital
nerve)
- Pupil reflexes (pupils will be fixed and dilated)
- Absence of central pulse for 1 minute (carotid or
femoral)
- Absence of heart sounds for 1 minute
- Absence of respiratory effort and breath sounds for
1 minute (may still hear bowel sounds)

Write in the notes:
- Date and time
- Contacted to declare patient x dead at x time
- Summarise examination
- Pacemaker absent/ present
- Sign, print name, bleep number
Raine T, McGinn K, Dawson J, Sanders S and Eccles S. Oxford
Handbook for the Foundation Programme. Oxford University
Press. 2011
The Cause of Death form. This
details the known cause/s of
death and any factors that
might have contributed.
If the death is unexpected,
unexplained or one of a number
of certain specific causes (such
as industrial poisoning, or
during an operation) it must be
referred to the Coroners
Office.
- Piessuie is applieu to the blauuei if the patient is not
catheteiiseu, to allow the blauuei to uiain anu pievent post-
moitem leakages
- }eweliy anu othei peisonal items aie iemoveu anu
uocumenteu. Some may iemain if iequesteu by the family
- Tubes anu lines may be iemoveu, though if the patient is
foi post moitem they aie kept in place
- The patient is washeu, paying paiticulai attention to haii,
nail anu oial caie
- Bentuies aie left in place if appiopiiate
- The patient's eyes aie closeu, using meuical tape to secuie
them if necessaiy
- Iuentification labels aie attacheu to the ueceaseu as
iecommenueu by hospital guiuelines
- The patient is uiesseu in a gown shiouu theii own
clothes, as iequesteu
- An incontinence pau is placeu unuei the patient to contain
any soiling
- The patient is then eithei placeu into a bouy bag oi
secuiely encloseu in a sheet uepenuing on hospital policy
- Notice of ueath uocumenting last offices anu piopeity is
completeu
- Tiansfei to the moituaiy is then aiiangeu


10
Glasgow lays claim to the title of most haunted place in Scotland, which Im sure is exactly why you all chose it to live
and work in. Here is a collection of a few well known encounters to make walking home from HIVE a bit more exciting.


Haunted Hospitals

Nothing in ulasgow looks like it belongs in a hoiioi film
moie than the Royal Infiimaiy, anu to back this up it has in
fact been the location of numeious encounteis of the
paianoimal kinu. Seveial accounts uetail a "uieen Woman"
ioaming the suigical block, only visible fiom the knees up.
She is believeu to be a nun who fell to hei ueath uown a
staiiwell whilst tiying to pievent a man fiom committing
suiciue. As foi hei amputee style appaiition, this has been
explaineu by new floois which have iaiseu the giounu
level since hei pious staiiwell tumble.
A bit closei to home, the Westein Infiimaiy holus no
escape fiom healthcaie hauntings...
In 197S a waiu sistei at the Westein was setting up
equipment in a ioom when something maue hei tuin
aiounu. She was suuuenly awaie of a "tall, silvei-haiieu
man, weaiing a blue uiessing gown" stanuing in the well lit
coiiiuoi outsiue. When he uisappeaieu only seconus latei she piesumeu he hau been a patient anu gone back to
beu. Bowevei, almost at once the waiu sistei iusheu ovei, cleaily upset, "She iecogniseu him as a patient who hau
uieu two uays pieviously.". The waiu sistei hau been piesent at his ueath but yet swoie it was no one else whom
she hau seen that night.

$%""&' $()*+',
When the clockwoik oiange was fiist built in 1896 unfoitunate
woikeis stumbleu acioss laige numbeis of teeth anu bones in an
aiea neai Shielus ioau subway station. It tianspiieu that they hau
stumbleu upon one of ulasgow's meuieval plague pits, hastily
constiucteu mass giaves which weie a uespeiate measuie to cope
with the ueau piling up. 0nwillingly they weie foiceu to continue
uigging thiough this packeu giaveyaiu to cieate a section of tunnel.
Bowevei as woik went on many iefuseu to ietuin to this pait of the
subway. This aiea of tunnel was now home to "The Clattei", an oib of
mist anu light that woulu engulf those woiking in the tunnel. Woikeis
woulu appaiently expeiience the anguisheu faces of those who weie laiu to iest in the plague pit scieaming anu
whiiling aiounu them as an uneaithly clatteiing of noise filleu theii heaus.

-./ )0(/1 )0234 )/55+# "6 7/,8 $8#//8

In the late 18uus Robeit Cobble was a well-known anu populai local eccentiic known foi his absuiu claims to the
thione anu wacky waiuiobe. Bowevei uespite a wealthy backgiounu alcoholism anu mental health pioblems
iesulteu in the loss of his home anu eventually his family cut him off. This spiialling uownfall soon leu to him
begging on the stieets, even outsiue a shop his fathei useu to own. Bomeless anu vulneiable he was assaulteu one
night, leaving him seiiously injuieu. Cobble was left blinueu in both eyes anu neeueu a stick to walk. Appaiently
his cheeiy uisposition nevei left him, but uespite this Robeit Cobble fioze to ueath outsiue West Stieet Station
one wintei's night. uhostly sightings have been iepoiteu of a uishevelleu beggai huuuleu outsiue the station, blue
with colu. Seveial sightings have been accompanieu by the "tap tap" of his stick on the giounu as he blinuly begs.

GHOSTLY GLASGOW
@*,',A+ B:*)/5 !"#$ &'()* )'C+6 ' )/85 /& ).+ A*);D6 =/5+ 6(//C; 6*E.)6?
Glasgow Royal Infirmary terrifying.
Maybe just walk it?


11
4) +,-* ./)'01 2*3"4(/56
S) 7')'3 7'8(3('3 954/85('
Imagine being completely incapable to sleep. That is what happens to people with FFI. FFI is an extiemely
iaie inheiiteu piion uisease of the biain that affects mainly the thalamus. This iesults in the complete
inability of the biain to entei the fiist REN stage of sleep, so the suffeieis
might stait to uose off but then wake up suuuenly. Symptoms incluue
incieasing insomnia leauing to hallucinations anu finally uiamatic weight
loss anu uementia befoie coma anu ueath aftei about 7 months of living hell.
It is a uominant conuition so a paient with the uisease has a Su% chance of
passing it on to a chilu, but the ieally scaiy pait is that it uoesn't piesent
itself until the caiiiei is miuule-ageu, at which point they might alieauy have
chiluien! 0nlike many othei uegeneiative biain uiseases, FFI only affects the
thalamus anu so the patient unueistanus that they aie going to uie anu can
communicate theii feelings, even when they aie in extieme physical agony.
1) 7(:0/1$4;3'4(' <44(=(#'54 >0/?0*44(@'
F0P, often known as Stone Nan Synuiome, is a connective tissue
uisease wheie the bouy has an inappiopiiate iesponse when
uamageu. If theie is inflammation uue to injuiy in muscles, tenuons
anu ligaments then they will tuin to bone. Amazingly it is the only
example of one oigan system completely tuining into anothei.
Eventually, the unlucky subject has incieasing uifficulty in moving,
bieathing anu eating anu they giauually "tuin to stone".
2) >0/?*0('
The veiy cuiious case of Benjamin Button - Piogeiia is a iaie genetic uisease chaiacteiiseu by uiamatic anu
piematuie aging. Initially, the babies appeai noimal but theii giowth iate slows anu they weigh much less
than noimal aftei a yeai. Bespite having noimal intelligence, affecteu chiluien suffei fiom conuitions like
heait uisease, aithiitis anu cataiacts, uiseases theii gianupaients might suffei fiom, anu eventually uie befoie
1S yeais of age.
S) A*)-'*8/?3/:(5'*8('
This is a uisoiuei wheie the level of methaemoglobin (metBb) in
the bloou is highei than noimal. NetBb is the foim of
haemoglobin wheie the iion is in the Fe
S+
iathei than the Fe
2+

state anu so has less affinity foi oxygen. This iesults in tissue
hypoxia anu gives the skin of Caucasian suffeieis a bluish tinge.
"The blue Fugates" weie a family who liveu in Kentucky in the
eaily 2u
th
centuiy anu weie the most famous suffeieis of this
heieuitaiy genetic conuition. Although it is iecessive,
geneiations of inbieeuing with othei suffeieis leu to most of
them being affecteu. Foitunately, many liveu until theii 8us with
no seiious siue effects of the uisoiuei.
Tales Of The
16 +>*:+,A+ ).') ).+ )58). *6 /&)+, 6)5',E+5 ).', ).+ &*A)*/,7 15)6 B:*)/5 ,/8 B'11*3*$ <5*,E6 86 F /& ).+
6)5',E+5 :*6+'6+6 ;/8 -/,D) &*,: *, G8='5 H 29'5CI


12
The stoiy begins on the 12th of 0ctobei 1972 in the city of Nonteviueo, 0iuguay. 0ne of the city's piemiei iugby
teams, the 0lu Chiistians, boaiu a flight to Santiago, Chile wheie they aie uue to play a ciucial match. 0ne of theii
playeis, Robeito Canessa, is a 19 yeai olu seconu yeai meuical stuuent at the 0niveisiuau ue la Republica 0iiental
uel 0iuguay.
The team aie fiequent flieis, having tiavelleu to
Santiago the yeai befoie foi the same competition anu
stait theii jouiney in high spiiits. Along with Su othei
passengeis they uepait fiom Caiiasco Inteinational
Aiipoit on twin tuibopiop Faiichilu plane FB-227B
numbei S71.
So fai so goou. Bowevei, bau weathei ovei the Anues
foices the plane to make an unscheuuleu oveinight
stop in Nenuoza, Aigentina. They iesume theii
jouiney the next uay, 0ctobei the 1Sth 1972, anu aie
soon passing thiough the Anues. 0ntil the pilot iealizes
that the mountain pass thiough which they'ie about to
uescenu is obscuieu by thick clouu, leaving him to iely
on juugement iathei than vision to uescenu. This pioves to be a fatal eiioi, failing to take into account stiong
heauwinus, anu the plane ciashes into the high mountains, in a iemote aiea of the Anues between Chile anu
Aigentina.
0f the 4S passengeis on boaiu, 12 aie killeu on impact,
amongst them the only uoctoi on boaiu, anu S moie uie by the
next moining. The suivivois finu themselves stianueu in the
fieezing Anues with no heat souice oi waim clothing, anu veiy
little foou anu watei. The only sheltei is in the iemains of the
aiiciaft's fuselage. The suivivois have a huge iange of injuiies
anu with the ueath of the team's own uoctoi, as a seconu yeai
meuical stuuent, 19 yeai olu Robeito Canessa is most the most
qualifieu to act. With little iesouices available, Canessa
impiovises splints anu stietcheis fiom the iemains of the
The Old Christians rugby team
A Fairchild plane FH-227D number 571, the
same model as that involved in the crash
THE ANDES
A plane crash, an avalanche, cannibalism and a
torturous trek to search for help, all in one story...
this might sound like a nightmare but for one
unlucky medical student it became a reality, and
one of the most incredible true adventure stories
of the last century.


13
The suivivois have a small tiansistoi iauio salvageu fiom the
wieckage of the plane, anu they heai of seaich paities fiom
0iuguay, Aigentina anu Chile looking foi the plane. But they
plane is white, blenuing in with the snow, anu the seaich is
unsuccessful. Aftei eight uays, the suivivois heai on the iauio
that the seaich has been calleu off.
In the afteimath, the ingenuity of some of the suivivois helps
keep them alive. 0ne uevises a way of using metal fiom the
plane seats anu sunlight to melt snow into watei. Anothei
cieateu seveial paiis of sunglasses to pievent snow-blinuness
using the sunvisois in the pilot's cabin. They aie even able to
make snowshoes fiom the seat cushions. But uespite theii
best effoits anu iationing of supplies, foou iuns low. Tiying to
suivive in fieezing tempeiatuies at such high altituue
foices massive caloiic uemanus on theii bouies, anu so high
up theie is little vegetation oi animal life. The suivivois tiy
in vain to exploie the immeuiate aiea anu finu a way out of
the mountains to iaise help. The combination of
uehyuiation, altituue sickness, snow-blinuness anu the uiop
in tempeiatuie at night, make escaping theii wilueiness
impossible. The men tiy theii best to make uo with the
iations scavengeu fiom the wieckage anu even tiy to
maintain theii eneigy by eating leathei toin fiom theii
luggage anu seats. Bowevei aftei ten uays all foou supplies
aie exhausteu. It becomes cleai that that the only way the
gioup can suivive is to eat the flesh fiom the coipses of the
victims of the ciash, pieseiveu in the snow.
The suivivois aie stianueu in the Anues foi 7u uays, anu
suivive thiough cannibalism foi 6u of these uays. Buiing
this time 8 aie killeu by an avalanche anu S moie succumb
to theii injuiies. A month aftei the ciash, thiee of the suivivois: Canessa, Paiiauo anu vizintin aie chosen to
conuuct an expeuition in the hope of ieaching civilisation anu iaising the alaim. The men set off, hoping to ieach
Chile, but insteau finu the tail of the plane, with piles of suitcases containing foou, batteiies anu cigaiettes.
The thiee men spenu the night insiue the tail anu latei ietuin to the main camp with the news of what they have
founu. It is ueciueu that tiekking to civilisation is not going to woik uue to the extieme night tempeiatuies, so
effoits aie focuseu on iepaiiing the plane's iauio communication system. Weeks aie spent tiying to get the iauio
to woik, but these effoits piove futile.
Aftei two months stianueu in the Anues, the suivivois finally invent a solution to the pioblem pieventing them
seaiching foi help. Cailitos Paez, whose mothei hau taught him to sew as a boy, uevises a sleeping bag maue fiom
the insulation ietiieveu fiom the plane tail. The sleeping bag will be laige enough to fit thiee men, enabling theii
Survivors at the crash site
The planes tail, discovered by the expedition
team
FLIGHT DISASTER
by Katie Lunn


14
0n the 12th Becembei 1972, with the sleeping bag in tow, the thiee men,
Canessa, Paiiauo anu vizintin begin theii tiek. Canessa woulu latei uesciibe
the fiist night of theii climb, huuuleu insiue the sleeping bag, as the woist
night of his life. Aftei thiee uays, the men ieach the top of the mountain, but
iathei than the gieen valleys they hau expecteu, see yet moie mountains
stietching into the uistance. Realising that to ieach help will take longei than
they hau anticipateu, iunning out of iations, vizintin is sent back to the
camp, while Canessa anu Paiiauo continue on. Canessa anu Paiiauo tiek on
foi a fuithei seven uays, eventually ieaching the foothills of the mountain
iange, wheie they stait to notice signs of civilization: cows in fielus anu a
hoiseshoe on the giounu. They make camp foi the night, anu as Canessa is
fetching fiiewoou, he notices a man on hoiseback on the othei siue of the
iivei. The two men tiy to shout to the man, but the noise of the iivei
uiowneu out theii ciies. The man on hoiseback shouts back "tomoiiow". Foi
two exhausteu, staiving men, stianueu on a mountain foi 2 months, this is
moie than enough, anu they sleep well.

The biaveiy anu ueteimination of these two men, Canessa anu
Paiiauo, leu to the eventual iescue of theii companions. The
alaim was iaiseu anu helicopteis sciambleu, though uue to pooi
visibility only 6 suivivois coulu be iescueu on the fiist uay, with
the iemaining 8 saveu the following uay. The suivivois ietuineu
in an ecstasy of joy to the waiting aims of theii loveu ones as
well as the woilu's meuia.

The suivivois at fiist attiibuteu theii suivival to living off a
supply of cheese they hau uiscoveieu in the wieckage of the
plane but weie soon foiceu to aumit that they hau iesoiteu to
cannibalism aftei sensationalist iepoits weie leakeu by the
piess. The suivivois latei ietuineu to the ciash site with a
Chilean piiest anu buiieu the bouies of the 29 ueceaseu
passengeis. An altai anu memoiial weie laiu at the site to
commemoiate the ueau.

Robeito Canessa went on to giauuate as a uoctoi anu maiiieu his
long-teim giilfiienu Lauia Suiiaco. Nowauays he is an eminent
Paeuiatiic Caiuiologist at the Italian Bospital of Nonteviueo. Since
suiviving the Anues flight uisastei Bi Canessa has paiticipateu as a
guest speakei at countless events anu in many television
uocumentaiies. Be acts as a motivational speakei anu has iecently
auuiesseu confeiences at Baivaiu, the Royal College of Suigeons of
Englanu anu the Ameiican Beait Association.
Canessa, Parrado and Chilean Sergio
Cattalan, the man who found them
Survivors at the crash site as
rescuers arrive
Roberto Canessa today, loving life


15
Assisted Suicide The Debate
What constitutes euthanasia. Bo we have a iight to uie. Anu shoulu those who help someone
uo so be fiee fiom piosecution. The uebate on euthanasia anu assisteu suiciue is one of the
oluest anu most complex in the public foium touay. In the 0K, the mouein uebate aiguably
began with the founuing of the Biitish voluntaiy Euthanasia Society (known touay as "Bignity
In Bying") in 19SS by Bi. Killick Nillaiu, anu theii subsequent publication of "A uuiue To Self
Beliveiance". This was shoitly followeu by the intiouuction of the "voluntaiy Euthanasia
19S6" bill in the Bouse of Loius, the fiist of seveial attempts to legalise euthanasia that have
been iejecteu. Bespite this, the legality of voluntaiy
euthanasia iemaineu unceitain until the passing of
the Suiciue Act in 1961, which stateu it was an
offence to "aiu, abet, counsel oi piocuie the suiciue of
anothei" anu that anyone uoing so woulu be liable to
a piison teim of up to 14 yeais.
To uate, 92 Biitons have gone abioau foi
assisteu suiciue, anu while no family membeis have
been piosecuteu, some have been chaigeu anu hau to
wait to be infoimeu that chaiges have been uioppeu.
While assisteu suiciue is illegal, the law cuiiently
uiaws a ciucial uistinction between uoctois ueciuing
not to pioviue oi continue tieatment, which might
piolong life, anu acting to enu a life, by foi example
auministeiing lethal uiugs. This uistinction has been
questioneu in many of the couit challenges on iight-
to-uie anu by campaigneis who claim the ethical
uistinction is meaningless. The most iecent case to
make heaulines was that of Tony Nicklinson, who
suffeieu fiom lockeu-in synuiome following a stioke,
anu hau launcheu legal pioceeuings to claiify if his
wife woulu be piosecuteu if she auministeieu a lethal
uiug uose on his iequest, anu iequesting a change in
the law so she woulu not be. Following the iejection
of his iequest by the Bigh Couit, Tony iefuseu foou,
anu uieu a week latei.
As the subject of euthanasia is such a vast one
with myiiau subuivisions, we will be iestiicting oui
aiguments to physician-assisteu suiciue (PAS), as this
holus the most uiiect ielevance foi us as futuie
uoctois. To qualify, while voluntaiy euthanasia may
be an action taken completely inuepenuent of a
peison's uoctoi, in PAS the patient uiiectly ielies on
the uoctoi to pioviue the means of ueath. Again, to keep the uebate simple we will be talking
only about the "iueal" case of PAS - that of a teiminally ill, fully competent patient who is
physically unable to kill themselves so iequests a pill that, if taken, will leau to theii ueath, in
oiuei to ielieve the suffeiing of theii conuition. We will also be leaving asiue any kinu of
ieligious oi spiiitual aiguments - all points will be baseu on the ethics of the meuical
piofession as they cuiiently stanu, anu the ielationship of the uoctoi anu patient.
Right To Bie Cases
* Biane Pietty was teiminally ill with
motoi neuione uisease. She wanteu the
couits to give hei husbanu immunity
fiom piosecution if he was to help hei
uie. In Novembei 2uu1 the Bouse of
Loius iefuseu hei application.
* Ns B was left a tetiaplegic by a biain
conuition. She went to couit because
uoctois iefuseu to stop hei aitificial
ventilation. The Bigh Couit iuleu in
2uu2 that hei iequest was valiu anu
tieatment was stoppeu.
* Nis Z, who hau an incuiable
uegeneiative uisease, wanteu to go to
Switzeilanu to uie anu Ni Z aiiangeu it.
An injunction to pievent the tiavel was
gianteu to the local authoiity. The oiuei
was oveituineu in 2uu4.
* NS suffeiei Bebbie Puiuy challengeu
the lack of claiity on the law on assisteu
suiciue. She wanteu to unueistanu how
piosecutois woulu make a uecision on
whethei oi not to piosecute hei
husbanu if he was to assist hei to get to
Switzeilanu to be helpeu to uie. Ns
Puiuy won hei case anu guiuance was
issueu.
J/85A+K .))(KLL---?<<A?A/?8CL,+-6L8C#
MNFOPPQN


16
The Case For
James Tadjkarimi
LeL us be clear sLralghL off Lhe baL. hyslclan asslsLed sulclde ls noL a declslon anyone arrlves aL llghLly. lL
Lakes monLhs and years of sufferlng and dlmlnlshed quallLy of llfe Lo reach a polnL where you belleve you
can no longer go on. 1here ls no doubL LhaL lL Lakes a Lremendous amounL of courage from boLh paLlenL
and famlly Lo flnally come Lo Lerms wlLh such a conLenLlous lssue and we would be foollsh Lo forgeL LhaL.
As medlcal sLudenLs we are LaughL Lo respecL Lhe four plllars of medlcal eLhlcs rlghL from Lhe geL
go. 8uL whaL of auLonomy and beneflcence (a docLor's duLy Lo allevlaLe paln and sufferlng. Surely a
paLlenL deemed Lo have capaclLy has Lhe rlghL Lo choose Lhe clrcumsLances of Lhelr deaLh ln comforL. ln
2010 a ?ouCov poll was conducLed asklng wheLher Lhe law should be amended Lo allow cerLaln people,
such as docLors and close relaLlves Lo asslsL a sulclde ln parLlcular clrcumsLances and resulLs showed LhaL
73 were ln agreemenL. Lven wlLh Lremendous publlc supporL, no law or blll has ever been passed by
pollLlclans Lo proLecL Lhose aL rlsk of prosecuLlon and ln addlLlon Lo LhaL no hlgh courL case has been won
elLher. 1he mosL recenL case LhaL came Lo llghL was LhaL of 1ony nlckllnson - a man LhaL had been
affecLed by locked-ln syndrome followlng a sLroke. Pls lawyers soughL Lo clarlfy wheLher anyone would
be prosecuLed ln helplng Lo end hls llfe buL sadly, hls appllcaLlon was re[ecLed on Lhe grounds lL was
unlawful. lor anyone LhaL hasn'L seen, Lhere ls a vldeo of hlm recelvlng Lhls news onllne. lL ls Lruly
hearLbreaklng Lo waLch and l don'L Lhlnklng wrlLlng abouL lL wlll do lL [usLlce, go see for yourself.
lollowlng Lhe courL rullng 1ony chose Lo sLarve hlmself, and subsequenLly conLracLed pneumonla as he
had slgned an advanced dlrecLlve Lo refuse venLllaLory supporL, passlng away slx days laLer.
1hls hlghllghLs a polnL LhaL no one wanLs Lo seem Lo dlscuss. AL presenL ln Lhe uk you as an
lndlvldual have Lhe rlghL Lo refuse LreaLmenL. lf deemed Lo have capaclLy you can refuse C8, mechanlcal
or arLlflclal venLllaLlon, arLlflclal nuLrlLlon or hydraLlon and anLlbloLlcs. 1hese are all poLenLlally llfe -
prolonglng LreaLmenLs and chooslng Lo refuse Lhem ln end of llfe care ls someLhlng LhaL happens ofLen.
AddlLlonally, Lhere's a conLroverslal pracLlce called palllaLlve sedaLlon LhaL Lakes place. 1hls ls when
paLlenLs experlenclng parLlcularly exLreme sufferlng, whom are expecLed Lo dle are glven a poLenLlally
leLhal dose of sedaLlon Lo ease paln rellef. AlLhough palllaLlve sedaLlon ls noL dlrecLly carrled ouL Lo end
llve, many of Lhe sedaLlves used carry a rlsk of shorLenlng a person's llfespan. 1hese pracLlces can be
Lermed euLhanasla ln all buL name and lf lL essenLlally ls belng performed ln Loday's socleLy, would lL noL
be beLLer Lo properly legallze and regulaLe Lhese acLlons?
And whaL of Lhe argumenLs agalnsL AS - are we so cerLaln LhaL Lhey're LhaL bulleLproof? LeLs
Lake Lhe sllppery slope argumenL: 1ake sLep A (AS), and we shall be led Lo Lake sLeps 8 & C. Many
people wlll have dlfferenL ldeas of whaL sLeps 8 & C may be, buL Lhls argumenL lmplles LhaL we wlll
evenLually LermlnaLe Lhe lncompeLenL or [usLlfy lnvolunLary LermlnaLlon. 1o me, LhaL's exLenslvely
pesslmlsLlc, and l can'L lmaglne AS would ever come lnLo exlsLence legally wlLhouL sLrlcLly enforced
safeguards Lo proLecL agalnsL a hlghly unllkely probablllLy. l'm noL champlonlng AS as besL pracLlce, lL ls
obvlously a lasL resorL. WhaL l would llke Lo see ls a change ln law or pollcy whereby compeLenL paLlenLs
are free Lo chose Lhe Lerms of Lhelr own passlng wlLhouL fear of prosecuLlon for Lhelr famlly or carers.
Cases would be looked aL on an lndlvldual basls and lndependenLly assessed provldlng Lhelr AS ls fully
volunLary, all alLernaLlves have been looked lnLo aL greaL depLh and a sLrlngenL monlLorlng sysLem ls puL
lnLo place wlLh regards Lo requesLs for deaLh Lo prevenL/deLer abuse.


17
The Case Against
Josh Nielsen
Llfe ls preclous, and deaLh ls flnal. aLlenLs can suffer Lerrlbly ln Lhe course of a dlsease, and ln Lhe case of a
Lermlnal lllness, Lhe easy way ouL ln many cases mlghL seem Lo be a mercy kllllng llke AS proposes. 8uL we
cannoL allow such a Lhlng Lo come lnLo law, because Lhe prlnclples lnvolved are blgger and more far-
reachlng Lhan any lndlvldual case. Cne cannoL argue agalnsL or lgnore how much paln and lndlgnlLy some
paLlenLs suffer, and Lhe argumenLs agalnsL AS are noL based on a lack of compasslon, buL upon
pragmaLlsm - on whaL Lhe consequences of legallslng AS would be.
llrsL and foremosL ls Lhe sllppery slope argumenL - LhaL by legallslng AS, we open Lhe door Lo
volunLary euLhanasla, whlch mlghL well one day progress Lo lnvolunLary. 1hls ls polnL ls so frequenLly made
because lL ls Lhe mosL lmporLanL and Lo some, mosL reallsLlc, poLenLlal ouLcome. Lvery sysLem, once lL
comes lnLo law, ls open Lo abuse, no maLLer Lhe safeguards puL ln place. Look aL preLLy much any servlce
provlded by Lhe nPS, and speak Lo someone who works ln lL. Anyone wlLh experlence wlll be able Lo Lell
you of paLlenLs abuslng or explolLlng Lhe sysLem, wheLher lL be a slck llne noL really needed, a dlsablllLy
exaggeraLed, or a paln faked for analgesla. Cnce Lhe legal opLlon ls Lhere we wlll sLarL Lo see mlsLakes and
abuses, regardless of Lhe number of regulaLlons and safeguards we puL ln place.
8y abuses, l don'L necessarlly mean people belng manlpulaLed by oLhers lnLo seeklng AS, (Lhough
LhaL ls also a posslblllLy - Lo belleve LhaL people would noL be suscepLlble Lo ouLslde lnfluence, parLlcularly ln
such a vulnerable slLuaLlon, ls slmply naive). 1he more llkely consequence of legallsaLlon ls people chooslng
AS for Lhe sake of Lhose around Lhem. Carlng can be an lncredlbly demandlng [ob, and paLlenLs wlLh
exLenslve needs ofLen have Lhose demands meL by Lhelr famllles. aLlenLs may Lhen feel Lhey have become
a burden on Lhelr famlly Lo Lhe polnL where Lhey Lhlnk Lhelr famlly mlghL be beLLer off wlLhouL Lhe demands
of carlng, and so Lhey are pressured by Lhelr own sense of gullL Lo Lake anoLher way ouL of Lhelr slLuaLlon. l
would never wanL Lo be ln Lhe poslLlon where l am chooslng wheLher Lo conLlnue a llfe of dependence on
Lhose l love, or Lo end lL Lo make Lhelr llves easler. l'm honesLly noL sure whaL cholce l would make. Whlch
ls why LhaL cholce should never be placed on me, on Lop of Lhe oLher burdens of dlsease and dlsablllLy. 1hls
ls a Lerrlble, lnhuman cholce Lo have Lo make, and Lherefore as a humane socleLy we should spare someone
from havlng Lo make lL by keeplng lL ouL of Lhe legal opLlons.
?ou may say LhaL Lhere ls no way of knowlng LhaL legallslng AS would lead Lo Lhese Lhlngs, or LhaL lL
ls an exLremely low probablllLy. 8uL we cannoL afford Lo Lake Lhe rlsk when a person's llfe ls lnvolved. 1here
ls also of course Lhe posslblllLy of paLlenLs chooslng AS when noL ln a healLhy sLaLe of mlnd, as depresslon
frequenLly accompanles long Lerm and Lermlnal lllness. Agaln, we can Lalk of safeguards, buL no sysLem ls
perfecL, and ln a counLry of 60 mllllon, people who shouldn'L have quallfled for AS wlll sooner or laLer sllp
Lhrough Lhe cracks.
1he lnLernaLlonal Code of Medlcal LLhlcs sLaLes A docLor musL always bear ln mlnd Lhe obllgaLlon of
preservlng human llfe from concepLlon." uocLors are supposed Lo proLecL llfe, noL end lL. 1hls ls a
fundamenLal aspecL of our role as a care-glver, and of our relaLlonshlp wlLh paLlenLs as an ally who sLands
wlLh Lhem agalnsL dlsease. lf docLors are glven Lhe power Lo end llfe, Lhls would undermlne LhaL poslLlon, as
paLlenLs wlLh complex needs or dlsablllLles may come Lo worry LhaL Lhelr docLor would raLher rld of Lhem
Lhan Lake Lhe responslblllLy of such demandlng cases. 8egardless of wheLher Lhls acLually came Lo be Lhe
case, Lhe posslblllLy would erode Lhe docLor-paLlenL relaLlonshlp and Lhe LrusL lL ls founded upon. lL also
rlsks maklng deaLh an admlnlsLraLlve Lask, wlLh a consequenL loss of compasslon ln Lhe docLor's relaLlonshlp
wlLh Lhe paLlenL.
1he general publlc may be ln favour of SA, buL lL ls docLors Lhemselves who have Lhe mosL dlrecL
experlence of deaLh and whaL SA would enLall. 1he 8MA recenLly voLed by a slgnlflcanL ma[orlLy agalnsL
adopLlng a poslLlon of neuLrallLy on SA, and lnsLead Lo malnLaln lLs sLance of openly opposlng lL. SA could
undenlably rellve sufferlng for some, buL ln an lmperfecL world, Lhe rlsks and consequences for Lhe
vulnerable are slmply Loo greaL for us Lo Lake.


18
A Secret History
Of The Pub by James Tadjkarimi
9, a nation we may be small, but no one can ueny the gieatness that comes fiom oui pubs. Foigive me
foi sounuing unnecessaiily patiiotic, but if you haven't noticeu alieauy. I love the pub; it's like a fiienu you
haven't seen in ages but always feel comfoitable with aftei a long absence. uive me that ovei pietty much any
club in ulasgow, oi anywheie else foi that mattei.
:/,, as a stuuent you may feel theii pints seem extoitionately piiceu, anu theii poik sciatchings
paiticulaily sickly, but it's all pait of the expeiience. Pubs come in all shapes anu sizes, colouis & flavouis, anu
theie's one out theie foi eveiyone. Anu you can haiuly foiget to mention the people you meet in them, always
suiieal anu willing to give up gieat stoiies. A man fiom the 0.S.A once summeu up the uiffeiences between
Biitish anu Ameiican uiinking cultuie peifectly. In the States people tenu to hop fiom bai to bai, nevei in one
place foi long enough to take it all in anu submit to a haze of inebiiation, wheieas in the 0K you can giacefully
station youiself anu a few mates, settling in foi a five houis. In ielative teims that seems like an extoitionate
amount of time, but time seems to fly by in the pub - one houi tuins into two, anu two into foui befoie you know
it, (not unlike pints). Although Biitons have been 'quaffing meau' since the Bionze age, we owe it to the
inuustiious Romans foi setting up the fiist 'Taveinae' in Biitannia. Theie, pations coulu take the loau off anu
quench theii thiist at one of the many ioau-siue inns but when the empiie collapseu, Anglo-Saxon women took it
upon themselves to iun ale-houses iight fiom theii kitchen. It was customaiy foi them to hang a gieen bushel
upon a pole, aleiting anyone in the suiiounuing aiea that theii biew was fit foi human consumption. This went
on foi centuiies anu became what we now know anu love as alehouses: a place foi villageis to meet, nattei anu
stiengthen communities.
;3 the 18
th
Centuiy the Butch ueciueu to visit, anu with them they biought gin- what we'u like to think of
as oui 2
nu
national uiink. It became a ciaze moie populai than uangnam Style will evei be anu as it was so
populai, cheap anu easy to piouuce, it became a
woiking class staple. The uiunken uebaucheiy anu
lawlessness that ensueu was consiueieu by many to be
leauing to the iuination of the woiking classes anu the
paintei William Bogaith was so incenseu, he even
uepicteu it in his piints -Beei Stieet & uin Lane.
Attempts to cuib the law by heavy taxation leu to wiue-
scale iiots anu it hau be iepealeu so insteau
goveinment calleu upon the help of oui 1
st
national
uiink.beei. At the time beei was consiueieu a
haimless anu even nutiitious uiink, being enjoyeu by
small chiluien anu cleigy alike. To uo this Pailiament
libeializeu the iegulations on biewing anu selling solely
beei allowing many to make it fiom theii basement foi a
mouest sum. The iuea behinu it was to ieuuce public
uiunkenness anu loosen the vice that gin hau on many by
making beei affoiuable. This pioveu extiemely populai anu within the fiist yeai of the act, an estimateu 46,uuu of
these 'beeihouses' poppeu up.
$23</ those eaily yeais, Biitain has biought foith many public houses of fameinfamy into the woilu. A
few of the moie inteiesting ones have incluueu:
,-* C'?3*1 Cambiiuge - heie a Ni. Ciick anu Ni. Watson maue histoiy with theii Euieka moment. With a
helping hanu fiom Rosalinu Fianklin (who sauly uieu befoie she coulu shaie in the gloiy) they successfully
figuieu out the coiiect uouble helix stiuctuie of BNA. Realising what this uiscoveiy meant leu to Ciick louuly
exclaiming that they hau "Biscoveieu the seciet of life!" inteiiupting eveiyone's lunch in the piocess.
,-* D3/:* 9551 Bumfiies - A place that maybe close to any Scot's heait, the ulobe Inn was otheiwise known as
Rabbie Buins' local. In one of the beuiooms The Baiu of Ayishiie even etcheu a love poem into the winuow foi a
baimaiu that woikeu theie.

Hogarths Beer Street and Gin Lane


19
Today, Britain isnt short of pubs by any stretch,
but the institutions existence is currently under
threat. There are an estimated 60,000 knocking
about but roughly 50 go out of business every week. Some are bought up by Chains like Weatherspoons and Yates;
destined to become uninspiring rebranded bars with sticky floors and flat beers. But most just get demolished or turned into
housing. Of course the smoking ban and economic downturn have obviously had a major hand in the decline of the pub, but
a lot of it stems from folks just choosing to pick up as much cheap larger as is possible to carry from any well-to-do
supermarket for discount pricing. Theres very little a pub landlord can do about this other than weep into their pint and
raise their prices partly due to government taxation and partly just to break even on income.
If you ask the average Joe on the street why they think so many pubs are closing down, chances are that theyll
quote one of these reasons, but another thats often overlooked, or not even known about is due to Pubcos (Pub
companies). I wonder how many of you have heard of Punch Taverns? Punch Taverns is a Pubco that owns 5000 pubs
across the UK. They lease the pub to potential landlords in exchange for a contractual obligation to buy all beer, wine &
spirits solely from that Pubco. A company like Punch can then set the price on alcohol as high as they would like ultimately
forcing you & I to pay astronomical prices for our favourite tipple. This leaves the landlord in quite a bind, as it tends to
make their booze dens unfavourable to the average punter. Declining sales leads to landlords not able to pay the rent to the
Pubcos and causes many of them to declare themselves bankrupt. As if that wasnt dastardly enough, these companies even
have a way of closely monitoring how much alcohol you sell in your pub in the form of Brewline boxes- a computerized
system that measures how much beer and cider passes through the beertaps. This acts as a deterrent to stop landlords from
selling anything that isnt bought from their respective Pubco. Sounds like quite a corrupt system if you ask me; which is
why you should either sign a petition on CAMRA (Campaign for real ale) asking the Coalition to put pressure on these
Pubcos or start going to Freehouses instead (independently owned pubs not leased by Pubcos) as they set their own prices
and have a far higher degree of ownership.
The Eagle and Child, Oxford - It was here that C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien met as a discussion group known as The
Inklings and talked at great depth about fantasy fiction. Theres some discrepancy in source material but at one time or
another Tolkien was said to be reading aloud from a draft of one of his manuscripts only to have Lewis cry out Oh no, not
another fucking elf! My thoughts exactly C.S., those books go on for far too long and feature far too much walking.
The Old Forge, Inverie this pub, dubbed the most remote in mainland Britain, is inaccessible by road prospective
drinkers must take either an 18-mile walk over mountains or a 7 mile sea crossing
The Oldest Thirteenth Chesire Astley Volunteer Rifleman Corps Inn, Stalybridge famous simply for having the
longest name of any pub in Britain
Ye Olde Fighting Cocks, St. Albans though the title of Oldest Pub in Britain is a hotly contested one, with several
places vying for the honour, the Guinness World Records folks currently recognise this place as the most ancient watering
hole, whose building dates back to the 9
th
century.
The Ancient Order Of Froth Blowers
One pub whose claim to fame is more eccentric than most is the
Swan Inn in Fittleworth. In the early 20s & 30s this became the
headquarters of The Ancient Order of Froth Blowers - a
philanthropic society set up by a Mr. Bert Temple following a
stomach operation by the famed surgeon Sir Alfred Fripp. As a
gesture of gratitude, Temple decided to raise funds for Fripps
chosen charity- The Invalid Childrens Aid Association by creating
the Order of Froth Blowers. Each member received a silver set of
silver cufflinks, a membership booklet, and card entitling them to
blow froth off any member's beer "and occasionally off non-
members' beer provided they are not looking or are of a peaceful
disposition". Their motto soon became "Lubrication in Moderation".
The idea was to meet regularly in pubs to enjoy "beer, beef and
baccy", and there to be fined for heinous sins, such as not wearing
the cuff-links (dinners opened with the highest ranking member, the
"Senior Blower", giving the command "Gentlemen, shoot your linen"
at which point all members showed their cuffs. All fines and residual
membership fees were then sent to Sir Alfred and Lady Fripp for
their "Wee Waifs" of the East End of London. At its peak the Order
had up to 700,000 members and at least one monkey who appeared
to be partial to a tall pint of Whitbread stout.
The order was unfortunately disbanded following the deaths of
Temple & Fripp and due to mounting pressure from the Temperance
movement that sought to outlaw alcohol.


20

Halloween Horoscope!
P ? C P C 1 l W u u l !
A A A k C 8 C l P A P ! n
l W L Z S A A 1 S l 8 M
L L C L Z P u C u C v n v
P A C C l L P M 1 L M 8
A x 8 n M W L x C v S P
u A L l 8 L L A k l L S
n n l 8 l ! C L l 8 1 W u
1 8 n ? L C 8 l n u 8 C u
L A Z 1 C v 1 A C L A 1
u C 1 8 l C k C l v 1 Z l
l C l L l C u l 1 l k
n C P C S 1 M x C L A C M

Aries - If you have been reluctant to make a move,
Aries, consider why? Is it that you are too lazy to stand
up and do something? Or is it that sofa just really
comfortable?
Taurus - The carrot and the stick can both be your
friends today. But beware there is trouble afoot and you
have to be prepared. I can feel it coming in the air
tonight, hold on.
Gemini - Venus is aligned in your path so this month is
about trying to make ends meet. But dont worry; you
can get through it by not being a slave to money.
Cancer - You are feeling sexy and free and life now is
like a shot of pure gold. Allow yourself to experience
this elixir, because next month, the stars are not aligned
for you.
Virgo - Here you go again; you say you want your
freedom. Well who am I to keep you down? You need to
play the way you feel it, but when the rain washes you
down, you will know the truth.
Libra - Is there that person who has a way of lifting you
up instead of bringing you down? Well youve got love in
store! Neptune has passed over the horizon so this is
the time to make your move!
Scorpio - Mercury is coming for you, you might find
that your laid back attitude can save you in times like
this. Lay low and let someone else take the lead now.
Sagittarius - The bad moon rises and your plans will
meet harsh opposition. When its raining, the faster you
run, the wetter you get so take shelter and let it all blow
over.
Capricorn - Jupiter is not visible so this month will be
emotionally unsettling. Choose your path carefully and
blue is an important colour for you.

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Do you have an opinion or perspective you think should be heard?
Join the writing team at Surgo!
If youre interested or want to know more, e-mail Josh at surgo_editor@hotmail.com.

"It is legally impossible to weu a
magazine. So please, stop tiying."
- $(#5" 0+*'/#,
expeit in maiitalmeuia
ielations
"Cogito, Suigo, Sum."
- =/3/ >/,<+#8/,,
existentialist philosophei
anu Suigo fan
"I'm soiiy, what was youi
question. Anu how uiu you
get in heie."
- ?+#+<& @)+A+,
closet Suigo enthusiast
AND TERRIFyING
WORD SEARCH
Halloween
Zombie
Hive
Witch
Ghost
Trick
Treat
Goblin
Pumpkin
Haunted
Aquarius - This is the month for composure and
serenity. Watch all the disputes from a distance and
do not get involved, it will make you uncomfortable.
Pisces - Uranus is not alone this month so neither
should you be! Just remember to watch your back;
others might not like your new-found optimism.
Leo - Mars is in Scorpio until the end of the month so
now is the time for teamwork. Make new social events
and spend time with people who share interests.