01-15-2006, 10:33 AM
BODIES LEFT TO ROT BY SELFISH SCOTS
Charles Lavery
The Sunday Mail
15 January 2006
SCOTLAND is becoming a selfish and uncaring nation, according to the nation's top pathologist.
More Scots are killing themselves and fewer of us take any notice of dying neighbours, says Professor Anthony Busuttil.
In one day last week, the professor examined seven bodies which were left undiscovered for days.
They included the remains of a teenager who died of an overdose, a 52- year-old autistic man who had bronchial pneumonia, a 47-year-old alcoholic and a 43-year-old drug user who had pneumonia.
Mr Busuttil, who heads Edinburgh City Mortuary, said: "The deaths have become tinged with such despair.
"There are more suicides than there used to be. It used to be the young, 18 to 25-year-olds - now we're seeing suicides right up to the 70s.
"We're seeing more bodies that have been lying for weeks.
"More than ever before, people are dying at home, alone, and nobody cares.
"No neighbours have knocked. No one has taken a blind bit of notice. We are becoming less and less of a caring society."
He said the problem was largely confined to white Scots as Asian and Oriental groups have a stronger sense of community.
Mr Busuttil blamed it on the demands of modern life and the tight resources of the social services.
Source:
http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/news/tm_obje..._page.html
Charles Lavery
The Sunday Mail
15 January 2006
SCOTLAND is becoming a selfish and uncaring nation, according to the nation's top pathologist.
More Scots are killing themselves and fewer of us take any notice of dying neighbours, says Professor Anthony Busuttil.
In one day last week, the professor examined seven bodies which were left undiscovered for days.
They included the remains of a teenager who died of an overdose, a 52- year-old autistic man who had bronchial pneumonia, a 47-year-old alcoholic and a 43-year-old drug user who had pneumonia.
Mr Busuttil, who heads Edinburgh City Mortuary, said: "The deaths have become tinged with such despair.
"There are more suicides than there used to be. It used to be the young, 18 to 25-year-olds - now we're seeing suicides right up to the 70s.
"We're seeing more bodies that have been lying for weeks.
"More than ever before, people are dying at home, alone, and nobody cares.
"No neighbours have knocked. No one has taken a blind bit of notice. We are becoming less and less of a caring society."
He said the problem was largely confined to white Scots as Asian and Oriental groups have a stronger sense of community.
Mr Busuttil blamed it on the demands of modern life and the tight resources of the social services.
Source:
http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/news/tm_obje..._page.html