LETTERS While the true facts about the fate prisoner who met his death in Parkhurst prison on 3 June after 64 days. on hunger strike - were revealed at the coroner's inquest held recently, their subsequent distortion once.
authorities, doctors, Government and the bourgeois press in concealing the real horrors of forcible feeding and treatment of prisoners.
On 2 June, the day before he died, Gaughan was stated to be reasonably well' by Dr Cooper, the Prison Medical Officer; and at 10.45 am he was held down by hospital officers and forcibly fed for the nineteenth time. He coughed and spluttered and vomited half a pint of the fat-enriched milk he was given. By mid-day, he was seriously ill, with shivering attacks, a fever of 104 degrees, and a rapid and chest X-ray showed extensive bilateral pneumonia.
But nearly 24 hours clapsed before treatement was started with antibiotics, and, even later, with ЛЕСЬ he was dead, The pathologist's examination revealed widespread inflammation, with fatty material throughout the lungs in all stages of breakdown, showing that not only of Michael Gaughsn - the Republican had milk got into the lungs on that Sunday, but also many times before when he was force-led.
Broughout En moocs, 11 Was obvious that the authorities were pushing for a verdict of suicide. But again confirms the collusion of prison evidence from Gaughan's father, the chaplain and others plainly showed that Gaughan was not refusing to eat because he wished to die as such. The coroner's jury therefore conjried up the medical evidence clearly shows feeding by the prison doctors on the orders of the Home Office can be the only correct verdict.
Despite strong denials by the British Medical Association and the Home Office, statements made at the inquest confirm without doubt the role of doctors as agents of the State in force feeding. Dr Cooper agreed that he had had to obtain the written approval of the Prison Governor before starting to feed, although this is claimed to be a pure ly "medical decision". He refused to -BROCK steroids, and by 7.30 the next evening answer when asked by counsel whether he would still have led had permision not been forthcoming the BMA central ethical committee having been forced to do so by the persistent protest campaign among militant doctors initiated by the Ty muddled two-page document for by confused argument, that prison medical officers should continue to carry out their duties as before.
reasoning is the opinion given by the disciplinary body), that a doctor's that death by mansinughter due to forceduty is to protect life and he is not guilty of professional misconduct if he force feeds in order to save life. But he then says that a doctor who refuses to force feed, (and who guilty of misconduct! They also perpetuate the myth that doctors act with clinical independence at all times, which is clearly seen not to be the case in the force-feeding of prisoners, as in many other medical situations.
A DOCTOR (name and address supplied) TROOPS OUT MOVEMENT: Enfield ing. Speakers: Alistair. Renwick ITOMI. Alan Waris (AUEW), Stephen Allman (ex-Labour councilior|. Tuesday 16 July 7.40 pm, comonton areen samirang Baths flower Edmonton BR sation, cr bus from Seven Sisters)
FREE IRELAND FORUM: Gery Lawies on The current situation and the Ulster workers' lock out', Fride 12 July, B pin (5 mins Kings X tubel.
LONDON RED FORUMS: A compreh ensive political education series, every Tuesday at 8 pm in the Genoral Picton pub, Caledonien Roed, N1. 16 July: The Strong State, Fascism and Racism', 23 July: "Chile/Portugal-Workers' Power or Reformist Road?' Around the time of the inquest, BETWEEN