Rapid Responses to:

NEWS: Rory Watson Multidrug resistance responsible for half of deaths from healthcare associated infections in Europe BMJ 2008; 336: 1266-a-1267-a [Full text]

Rapid Responses: Submit a response to this article

Rapid Responses published:

50 years of advice ignored

Margaret E Elmes   (7 June 2008)

50 years of advice ignored 7 June 2008
Margaret E Elmes, Retired Associate Specialist Nil Send response to journal: Re: 50 years of advice ignored	Why does it take over 50 years to realise the dangers of over prescription of antibiotics and inadequate hospital cleaning? When I arrived at Hammersmith Hospital in 1956 as a house physician a cross- infection registar was in post advised by the bacteriologists Mary Barber & A.A Dutton and a strict code for prescribing antibiotics was in place. Sources of cross infection in the wards were found and measures taken to prevent them. These policies were taken to Queen's University, Belfast by the cross infection registrar, Dr Peter Elmes, my late husband but appear to have been ignored or forgotten in general with too much emphasis put on more and more antibiotics abetted by the drug industry and less emphasis on cleanliness Competing interests: None declared