Human Experimentation and Medical Malpractice on Mexican Children

This is a complaint that a patient submitted to Customer Service at the hospital. Customer Service sent it to me as Medical Director of our emergency department. When I would get such a complaint, it was my responsibility to look at the medical record, talk with any staff involved and reply to Customer Service.

Just for background: a spinal tap is a common procedure performed on children and adults in the emergency department. It is done to make sure they don’t have spinal meningitis, which is a serious brain infection which can kill or seriously injure the infected person if not treated repidly. To preform a lumbar puncture, a kid has to be held tightly while a little area on the lower back is numbed up. A small needle is passed between two bones in the spine to take out a sample of fluid that is then sent to the laboratory to look for signs of infection. It is not fun for the baby, the parents or the doctor. It is also not an operation nor experimentation.

This is one of many similar complaints this man made to Customer Service. Most were about Hispanics not being treated appropriately in the hospital. His complaint was so wacko, it was hard to even take it seriously as I formed a response.

Here it is. Other than removing names, it is copied word for word from his Customer Service complaint form.

Subject: Human Experimentation and Medical Malpractice on Mexican Children

Attn: Chief Administrator, The Medical Center

RE: Spinal tap surgery performed on 2-3-year-old Mexican Child by M.D. (non-surgeon) & assistant.

1. Location: Emergency Room A (close to entry/exit)
2. Time: 2-3 a.m. (morning), 2 September
3. Condition: Non-surgical, non-hygiene; inhumane – young child screaming throughout experiment.
4. Physician: Dr. M. and other emergency room associate (at least one.)
5. Please note: Child and Parents spoke no English.
6. Please note: After this inhumane butchery, Dr. M. and company celebrated for an hour between 3 and 4 a.m. in the morning. (This is the second experiment/celebration we are aware of by Dr. M. & et. al.)
7. Immediate suspension w/o pay, arrest, imprisonment, prosecution and revocation of medical license are mandated for public safety.

I have additional notes from my conversation with the patient, however they are covered here.