Intractable hiccups

The telephone rang one evening.

“Robert, I haven't seen you since your hospital retiral do. You've had hiccups for 10 days—that must be really grim. My bright ideas? Well, have you tried all the usual folk remedies? Chlorpromazine? No use? Mmm, sounds difficult. But you're keeping well otherwise? Good I'll try the Oxford Textbook of Medicine. Hang on a moment. It says ‘wide range of remedies proposed—none pre-eminently effective—haloperidol, metoclopramide, clonazepam, baclofen, anticonvulsants. There may be phrenic nerve crush.’ That …