Ethics and Triage: A Nasty Scenario by David A H Newman [Dec 12 06] If only the rich could pay the poor to die instead of them, Then the poor would make a very good living. (Ancient Yiddish Joke) A Flu Pandemic has begun. The hospitals are crowded. Staff is […]
Danger Pay by David A H Newman [Aug 27 07] Back when SARS threatened Toronto, the Ontario government of the day introduced strict quarantine measures reminiscent of the often drastic quarantine laws applied in times of plague — [as in London 1664-65]. Quarantines are difficult to enforce, but the quarantine […]
Pandemic Revisited – David A H Newman [Sep 6 07] The great flu pandemic of 2007 hasn’t happened yet. But don’t go away! The pandemic flu knows no seasons, and isn’t a once-a-year event. Bird flu is spreading – mostly among birds so far, and in many places. What we […]
A nugget of Big Medicine for your consideration. #94 The Three Paragraph Rule Of all the diagnostic techniques I learned during my life on the streets, none has served me better than the Three Paragraph Rule. Of course, a positive result for Hand Drop Over Nose (HDON) was much more […]
A nugget of Big Medicine for your consideration from the late David AH Newman. #93 To be a first responder My late father, David AH Newman, originally wrote this piece for Big Med in 2007. It is an interesting take on what makes a first responder and seems particularly apropo […]
A nugget of Big Medicine for your consideration from Norm Rooker. #92 Just what do you say? Vicki, my bride of 29 years and counting, and I were making good time on Interstate 10 across Alabama on our way to Galveston, Texas. 2012 has been a very active year for […]
A nugget of Big Medicine for your consideration. #91 Christmas Jew Long before the Brunelle Family introduced me to the joys of celebrating Christmas in the company of family at the foot of a beautifully decorated tree, I was a Christmas Jew. For on Christmas eve ‘tis the moment when […]
A nugget of Big Medicine for your consideration. #90 The bet Michael Smith still owes me a case of beer. The beer is the debt on a bet made between paramedics rolling the ju-jube dice and hoping for excellent vibes. Michael threw it down as a measure of extra karma […]
A nugget of Big Medicine for your consideration. #89 Tzedakah I wrote this piece a number of Christmakahs ago. I thought about it yesterday when I heard about the heartwarming story of Larry DePrimo, the NYPD cop who bought a homeless man a pair of shoes. We like to hear […]
A nugget of Big Medicine for your consideration. #88 The union we deserve I’m not a union guy but I once started a wildcat strike. Mike ‘Elwood’ Crowley and I reported for work about 45 minutes early, as per usual, at the Western Sector garage of Urgences Sante (Montreal EMS). […]