There is a shocking report out of Brazil where an elderly woman reportedly died after being given an injection with soup. Yes, soup. The stories sent to me remain in Spanish or Portuguese only though the image of this hospital on television reports in Brazil does not fill one with confidence. [Warning graphic description below]
This story follows an equally horrific account of doctor pulling off the head of a baby in delivery — requiring a Caesarian to remove the rest of baby’s body.
Brazil is an interesting legal system because the Brazilian legal system adopted the Federal Constitution enacted in 1988 made the defense of consumers into a constitutional right. Pursuant to Article 5, the Constitution states, “The Brazilian State will promote, in the terms of the law, the defense of the consumer.” Accordingly, the court play a much more direct and active role in addressing such cases of malpractice. However, problems remain including what Eduardo Dantas refers to serious problems with basic concepts of informed consent. Eduardo Dantas, A Bridge Over Troubled Waters: The Development of Medical Malpractice Litigation in Brazil , 87 Chi.-Kent L. Rev. 3 (2012).
It is not clear whether the hospital intentionally injected the soup under some primitive notion of nourishment or it was done by mistake. I am not sure whether would be scarier: the notion that they would believe this would work or that they could confuse a soup container with a medicine.
Bridgeport was the first time I ever experienced the kind of fear that I imagine is experienced every day in some Countries. My first day on the job I deliberately ran any red light I came upon as the streets looked like a war zone and I saw an actual pack of dogs going from decrepid house to broken windows house (maybe vacant, doors swinging in the wind…)looking for scraps or warmth. The hospital lots and courtyards were wrapped with razor wire and one of my most challenging pts was a young man who was handcuffed to his bed after blowing off his very own are in a car chase ….and I was serious about the gunshots.
Wootsy, Growing up in Ct. we considered Bridgeport Connecticut’s Newark.
My son wants to return which we support. I have followed Colombia closely and safe is indeed a relative term. I would go to Medillin w/ him but w/ trepidations, although it is much better than 1987. It is a beautiful country and the people are incredibly gracious. So many strangers helped a lug of a man w/ a little 3 year old boy. Medillin is the orchid capital of the world. I would like to spend most of our time in Santa Marta or Cartegna, and a couple days in Medillin.
When I was preparing to go to Colombia my younger sister, who worked for Yale development, said she knew a very nice guy who worked for the American Embassy. I heard one of the biggest pains in the ass in this adoption process was getting the paperwork done @ the embassy. I spoke w/ folks who spent 2 weeks in Bogota just for that. It turns out this guy was Deputy Chief of Mission! I called him before leaving for Colombia and he was so helpful. As we chatted he asked me what my occupation was and I told him PI. There was a very pregnant pause. He said, “Nick, our conversation may not be secure. This isn’t a secure line. But, remember this, when you’re in Colombia YOU ARE NOT AN INVESTIGATOR!” I said, I don’t do criminal investigations, just civil litigation, The reply, “Nick, that doesn’t matter.” He then gave me the name of someone else to call if I had any problems when I was in Medillin. He said a couple times after giving me the other name, “Nick, for your safety, “DO NOT CALL ME FROM MEDILLIN.” He only needed to say it once, but I didn’t begrudge it, he was looking out for me. My trip to the US Embassy took less than an hour. I thanked him immensely. A short time after I left Colombia Carlos Lehder was captured and taken to the US where he remains in prison. He was the one cartel chief who was an Amreican citizen. A great book is Killing Pablo. It captures the terror that sociopath caused in Colombia.
Technical difficulties on this post up-thread. Sorry.
Bruce 1, October 11, 2012 at 11:03 am
Wonder if Michael Moore thinks Brazilian hospitals are better than U.S. hospitals too.
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Be careful Bruce, suicide this the number one non-injury cause of death in the U.S.eh?:
(Suicide now kills more Americans …) and in its military:
(The Surge Of Snap Sergeants). As Idealist707 said as he passed by a ‘dirty hippie’ on the San Francisco Bay Bridge, “don’t yump”.
“I saw shootings and heard gunfire all night. “Nick Spinelli
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I worked the night shift at a hospital in Bridgeport Ct…….same thing!
nick,
I see no reason to ever go to Columbia unless it is business. It’s “better” now than it once was, but as far as pleasure destination in South America? I’d have to put it very far down the list even today. No, we’re just experiencing crosstalk.
Bruce
1, October 11, 2012 at 11:05 am
Nancy.
you can opt to go to a foreign hospital if you don’t like hospital care here.
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Medical tourism is the new wealth and fear driven health care access point. Possibly also a rsponse to the loss of quality and increased cost and risk of US hospitals
here, have a brochure: http://worldmedicalandsurgical.com/
Apology accepted, let’s move on.
Bruce 1, October 11, 2012 at 11:03 am
Wonder if Michael Moore thinks Brazilian hospitals are better than U.S. hospitals too.
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Be careful Bruce, suicide this the number one non-injury cause of death in the U.S.eh?: More Americans now commit suicide than die in car crashes, making suicide the leading cause of injury deaths, according to a new study.
…
“Suicides are terribly undercounted; I think the problem is much worse than official data would lead us to believe,” said study author Ian Rockett, a professor of epidemiology at West Virginia University. (Suicide now kills more Americans …) and its military: This morning on Morning Joe, MSNBC, retired Admiral Mike Mullen pointed out that 18 of them commit suicide a day now, or 6,570 each year, and the rate is increasing (2nd video below; see also Washington Post).
Those numbers don’t include the fact that about one third of them coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan, over 300,000 and growing, even if they do not commit suicide, murder, or other crimes, have other mental health problems to deal with. (The Surge Of Snap Sergeants). As Idealist707 said as he passed by a ‘dirty hippie’ on the San Francisco Bay Bridge, “don’t yump”.
And Gene, you’re pretty smart. do you think anyone was travelling to Medillin in 1987 for pleasure? It was like Beirut. I saw shootings and heard gunfire all night. It was a terrifying experience. Bogota wasn’t much better.
Sorry, nick. I understood that from your comment. My remark was directed at Bruce’s statement about seeking healthcare in other countries – the “love it or leave it” position vis a via American healthcare.
I was in Colombia to adopt our son. The tests were required for a visa for me to bring him back to the US. He had been abandoned and nothing was known about his health history.
Spoken like someone with the funds to travel abroad for healthcare without concern. Or a troll.
Bruce, In 1987 I was in a Medellin hospital w/ my adopted son for some blood work. I felt like I stepped back into the 1950’s.
Nancy.
you can opt to go to a foreign hospital if you don’t like hospital care here.
” I tell people, if you love someone don’t leave them unattended in the hospital.”
Yep.
Wonder if Michael Moore thinks Brazilian hospitals are better than U.S. hospitals too.
Talk to a few who have been hospitalized over here in this country. You are bound to walk away with some equally horrifying horror stories. I could give you a couple myself. Then, talk about the rights of the average citizen in this country where the legal system is in bed with the medical system. I tell people, if you love someone don’t leave them unattended in the hospital.
Chicken Soup for the Bloodstream. John Edwards is on his way to Brazil.
“One death is a tragedy, a million deaths is a statistic.” – Joseph Stalin
Our system has a lot of problems like this, however, we have a much more efficient system of cover up and denial, driven by the mythology of American exceptionalism:
(Homeland Terrorism & Instability We Can Believe In?). I guess we could say it is karma and be done with it eh?