chapter eight
CHAPTER EIGHT. INFECTION ON THE UNIT.
The neonatal unit at The Countess of Chester Hospital was in a position of great risk of the spread of infection. Pre-term infants have poorly developed immune systems, and would have been extremely vulnerable to infection.
The following quotes are from the article in The New Yorker (issue for May 20th, 2024) by Rachel Aviv, entitled – A Reporter at Large – Conviction.
Page 37:- The Royal College of Paediatricians and Child Health noted that the spike in deaths in the unit in 2015 coincided with a spike on still-births on the maternity ward. (My comment:- This suggests infection in the hospital that was transferred from the maternity ward to the neonatal unit.)
Page 37:- One mother recalled a nurse “sneezing and coughing violently whilst putting her hands in (the baby’s) incubator”. In a survey, staff at the hospital stated that they were pressured to come to work, even when they were ill.
Page 39:- One mother saw that a doctor who was resuscitating her son was “coughing and spluttering into her hands” without washing them.
Page 47:- For one baby, Evans wrote (in a preliminary report) that he “could not exclude the risk of infection”. However, Evans later testified in the court that death was from pumping air into the naso-gastric tube.
Here are some quotes from Private Eye Special Report. The Lessons of The Lucy Letby Case, by Doctor Phil Hammond. MD. (available online.)
Private Eye Report, Part 11:- The “outbreak of Pseudomonas bacterium” on the unit is mentioned.
Private Eye Report, Part 15:- There was infection from Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, an antibiotic resistant bacteria. (My highlighting.)
Private Eye Report, Part 5:- The “evidence of an infectious disease outbreak” is mentioned.
Private Eye Report, Part 6:- I 2017, 84 children were infected with water-borne bacteria, and two died, at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow.
Private Eye Report, Part 1:- The Chester unit is outdated and cramped - - - sewage backed up into the toilets and sinks
Private Eye Report, Part 9:- Doctor Jayaram (one of Lucy Letby’s accusers) admitted that the unit was an infection risk, due to cramped conditions, and sewerage leak problems.
The following quote is from the book What Doctors Don’t Tell You, by Lynne McTaggart, published by Thorsons, 1996, page 41:- “Another problem with oscopy tests, such as endoscopy - - are - - - - infection - - - by inadequately sterilized flexible fibre-optic endoscopes and bronchoscopes - - - - - such as hepatitis B”
The following quotes are from the book Lucy is Innocent, by Paul Bamford, SECOND EDITION, ISBN number 9798326484130 (I strongly recommend this book.)
Pages 340 to 342:- Professor Kendrick (an accredited authority on neonatal pathophysiology – to see his credentials see pages 25, and 42, and 356 of the book) states that hospital acquired infections are one of the leading causes of infant death. The symptoms of infection are rashes swollen tummy (My comment:- Doctor Evans insisted that rashes proved air embolism, and swollen tummy proved air injected down the naso-gastric tube.) Babies C, G, I, M, N, O, P, and Q had symptoms of infection.
Pages 22 to 23:- “A neonatal unit plagued by recurring floods - - - and subject to water of the poorest quality - - - - foul water - - - came out of the sink - - sewage”. Professor Kendrick states:- Drainage issues weekly. Cast iron pipes prone to cracking, Floor of the unit flooded. Unit dirty. Staff could not wash their hands. Faeces in one sink in the unit.
Here is a quote from The Daily Telegraph, February 6th, 2025, page 4:- Doctors missed a lethal bacterial infection - - - - and so failed to give life-saving antibiotics.
Here is a comment from a U-Tube video:-
The) Amazing Academics (U-Tube series). Serial Killers and Statistical Blunders - Why Lucy Letby might be wrongly imprisoned: John O'Quigley
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbN6j-IPQAU
Professor John O’Quigley, Professor of Statistics at University College, London, states as follows:- QUOTE:- “The sewage - - no minor problem - - - neonates who do not have well developed immune systems”.
Here is a quote from a U-Tube video
Lucy Letby: What The Jury Didn't Know
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wqe4dEuK128&t=601s
Of the 17 babies that Lucy Letby is accused of harming, 9 had sepsis or suspected sepsis.
My comment:- The extreme failure in basic hygiene on the unit made the deaths and collapses pretty much inevitable.
Here is a comment to a U-Tube video that I found on the internet. I have not corrected for spelling or grammar
In the early 2000's my step mum had an epileptic fit and fell over backwards with a full kettle of water unaccompanied. She ended up in Frenchay Hospital burns unit, she went on to develop MRSA and completely lost her mind. My Dad thought she was never coming back (she made a full recovery) but when I visited her the place was soooooo dirty. One thing I remember was the legs of a drip stand had dirt spots like spilled liquid all over them, there was dust everywhere, the toilets were horrible. It's no wonder she got so ill whilst there and a miracle she survived.