Pat,
I think you are jumping to an unjustified conclusion here. You are
taking the numbers for all medical errors and assuming that ALL of
them are caused by measurement errors and then concluding that ALL or
most of those measurement errors are caused by failure to use metric,
or mixed use of metric and non-metric.
I don't doubt that deaths from medical errors is a major problem, but
I think it is unreasonable to claim it is almost entirely due to a
failure to use metric.
We can and should debate here (and publicize more widely than just
here) any problems caused by failure to metricate if there are any.
However, I don't think this list is the proper forum for a discussion
of medical errors generally.
Regards,
Bill Hooper
On 2007 Feb 15 , at 2:44 PM, Pat Naughtin wrote:
On 2007 02 16 2:46 AM, "Bill Hooper" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
On 2007 Feb 14 , at 7:35 PM, Pat Naughtin wrote:
I believe that about 10 000 babies die each year from medical
errors that are based on this conversion practice. <converting
metric data in hospitals back into Olde English units to compare
with "Grandma's babies">
That would be a horrifying statistic if true.
Do you have any data to support that claim, or is it just "I
believe that ..."?
Bill Hooper
75 kg body mass*
Fernandina Beach, Florida, USA
Dear Bill,
I agree that this is 'a horrifying statistic'.
My figure is based on a series of newspaper reports that was
published here in Australia about two years ago. ...
The issue of medical errors is not just happening to new born
babies. It is a widespread problem that, I believe, is often
dependent on the faulty measurement policies of 'health care
professionals'.
