RE: Death of Hisashi Ouchi

["Karam, Andrew" <Andrew_Karam@URMC.Rochester.edu>]

From: William V Lipton [mailto:liptonw@dteenergy.com]

I doubt that it was much comfort to Mr. Ouchi to know of their "great care
and
concern," even assuming that he was in any condition to know.  It sounds a
lot
like the "care and concern" that drill sergeants expressed to me when I was
in
the Army.
===================
Dear Bill,

I would assume that the physicians were doing everything that they could to
save Mr. Ouchi's life.  In the case of so serious a radiation exposure this
would necessarily involve some new approaches.  The fact that they (and we)
will learn a great deal in the process should in no way diminish the efforts
made to save a life and to reduce suffering.  

I sincerely doubt that the doctors' only concern was to experiment with new
techniques for treating radiation sickness at the expense Mr. Ouchi's
comfort and dignity.  I also doubt that they will fail to make the medical
community aware of anything that they learned as a result of their medical
efforts, however unsuccessful they turned out to be.  In my opinion, to
learn and not to share that information would be as tragic as Mr. Ouchi's
loss, because then nobody else could benefit from this incident.

Andy

Andrew Karam, CHP              (716) 275-1473 (voice)
Radiation Safety Officer          (716) 275-3781 (office)
University of Rochester           (716) 256-0365 (fax)
601 Elmwood Ave. Box HPH   Rochester, NY  14642

Andrew_Karam@URMC.Rochester.edu
http://Intranet.urmc.rochester.edu/RadiationSafety
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