WEMJ Volume 117 No. 2 June 2018

Introduction

Welcome to the June 2018 issue of the West of England Medical Journal. Article 1 is a case report of near fatal thrombocytopenia and sepsis following likely infection from rabbits with Rabbit Haemorrhagic Virus (v2). Such zoonotic crossover to a human being has been speculated before but has not been reported. Artcile 2 is from an excellent talk given by Janet Sellick to the Bristol Medico-Historical Society on October 2017. The topic was Agatha Christie, Queen of Crime and her deadly dispensary of poison! This is a fascinating subject and we are delighted that Janet. Sellick has provided us with the article. The final article is from clinical psychologist Dr. James Brennan on Psychological Adjustment to Illness and Injury. How a patient responds to their illness is becoming widely recognised as a very improtant factor in determining the outcome. Dr. Brennan's article, based on a talk given to the Bristol Medico Chirurgical Society, is an excellent overview of the subject with the deep insight that a lifetime's work in the field provides.

1. Case Report: Possible cross-over of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Virus (v2) to a young human boy with subsequent near fatal thrombocytopenia and sepsis.

PR Goddard**, LM Tutton, JPG Goddard, L Hildebrandt. WEMJ Volume 117 No 2 Article 1 June 2018

A case is reported of haemorrhagic rash from severe thrombocytopenia due to Acinetobacter lwoffii septicaemia in a six year-old boy (Patient B). His pet rabbits both died simultaneously, almost certainly from Rabbit Hemorrhagic Virus (v2)

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2.Agatha Christie, Queen of crime and her deadly dispensary of poison, Janet Sellick. WEMJ Journal Vol 117 No 2 Article 2

“Surrounded by poisons I suppose it was natural I should use poison as the murderer’s weapon in my very first book,” said Agatha Christie about the start of her remarkable career.

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3. Psychological Adjustment to Illness and Injury, Dr James Brennan. WEMJ Volume 117 No 2 Article 3 June 2018

Transitions involve psychological and emotional processes. Mental adjustment (to the illness and disease) may take time and be emotionally exhausting, but it is necessary, psychologically restorative, and even useful. And it is going on all the time.

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