Fillers Endpiece The end of the party BMJ 2004; 328 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.328.7453.1416-a (Published 10 June 2004) Cite this as: BMJ 2004;328:1416 Article Related content Metrics Responses Peer review Fred Charatan, retired geriatric physicianFloridaThe closing years of life are like the end of a masquerade party, when the masks are dropped.Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860),German philosopher