Inherited age of death

A 58 year old Indian merchant working in an African country was admitted to hospital with severe retrosternal pain radiating upwards and down the right arm. His wife and 35 year old son were with him when electrocardiography confirmed posterior myocardial infarction. He believed he was about to die. Before treatment was started, he said: “Doctor, you know I am 58. My elder brother died three years ago, aged 58 years. My father died at 58 years. His younger sister, my auntie, also died in India at 58, and…” I interrupted him, thinking it amazing how superstition creeps into scientific medicine: “You are not going to die, sir. You need a good night's sleep. Just say good night to your wife and son.” “And my grandfather,” he continued from where I had interrupted him, “father's father, collapsed and died of a heart problem, I am told aged 58 years.”

After I sent his wife and son out of the private room, she asked me to let her stay with him overnight. But the received wisdom in those days did not allow relatives to sleep in. In Britain, even mothers were sent away from their babies. Britain was the gold standard; why should anyone prescribe less for an African country? The son pleaded with …