31 Jul 2012

Nothing like a fine wine

Living on Kangaroo Island, we are blessed with not only gorgeous coastline, fine fishing and abundant wildlife...but also great food & wine.


I am indebted to one of my colleagues (you know who you are) for the following article "Wine Enema and Proctoclysis"...







This is important research. No doubt questions such as red vs white, whether cork or screw-top remain to be answered. 


This of course has got me thinking about the rectal route as a means of drug delivery. I am certainly familiar with rectal paracetamol or indomethacin for pain relief. I've also heard that the British Army favours the rectal route for rehydration in the field...and have dim memories of shipwreck survivors administering salt water enemas on life rafts to keep alive.


Anecdotally, I've also heard that the French paramedics may use a Mars Bar (or local equivalent, presumably "Le Mars Supreme") administered rectally as their first line approach to hypoglycaemia.


In which case, if making up a prehospital pack, perhaps I should make mine a Toblerone!