LETTERS

The hell of hepatitis

I contracted hepatitis C through a contaminated blood transfusion in 1986 and have been left disabled as a result.

The severe aplastic anaemia I suffered from (which was the reason for the transfusion) can be a deadly combination with hepatitis C, and it nearly killed me at the time.

Back then, medical staff told me and my wife, a State registered nurse, not to publicise that I was infected. until the recent publicity about the contaminated blood public inquiry, I received very little medical help on how to cope with the hepatitis C virus, so wrote out my own survival guide from information in medical papers and textbooks

Those infected are still not being given the information they need to give them their best chances of survival. In addition to avoiding alcohol, they should avoid all drugs as much as possible and also many other agents which are toxic to the liver such as solvents and fluoride.

The virus on its own is unlikely to progress to fatal liver disease.

Two years ago when the virus flared up in me again, it took ten months to get scans done to see if I had liver cancer or cirrhosis, which was mental torture. It has been hard work getting periodic liver function tests done to check how much the virus is affecting me.

Many of those infected by contaminated blood have since died, often disabled and in poverty.

Those of us who are left have so many difficulties and indignities to put up with as a result of those who would prefer we were all dead and forgotten. For me, it has been a 32-year battle for survival. EDWARD PRIESTLEY, Brighouse, W. Yorks.

Seatbelts save lives

Everyone in a car should wear seatbelts (‘Quarter of car crash fatalities were not wearing seatbelts’ — Mail).

In 1976 our 17-year- old daughter, Diane, went out with two female friends and her boyfriend. When the car skidded on a wet road, it was hit on the rear passenger side.

There were no seat belts in the back of the car where my daughter and her boyfriend sat. as a consequence, he was hurled into Diane, crushing her. She was dead on arrival at hospital. These were just friends on a night out. no drugs, no booze — just no seatbelts. BERYL PENDLEBURY, Derby.

Honour the Germans

As a former soldier, I was concerned to read in the ephraim Hardcastle column the view that germany’s president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, should appear only at the Westminster abbey service on armistice Day — not at the Cenotaph.

as soldiers, we serve our countries; we serve in response to the failure of diplomacy; we do our duty.

ultimately, as such, we respect and honour each other. I have stood at the tomb of the fallen in Berlin, Moscow and Buenos aires. We bear each other no ill will. germany’s president should be invited to attend both the major service at Westminster abbey and to lay a wreath at the Centotaph.

ROGER GANT, Llandrindod Wells, Powys.

Junior Corbynistas

MY 14-Year- olD grandson was asked, with his classmates, to split into two groups: those who would vote for Jeremy Corbyn on one side and those who would not on the other.

With a very straight face he said he was the only one on the side who would not vote for him.

as these votes probably reflect those of their parents, and we live in an area with an MP who is a wellknown Cabinet Minister, I think this is quite an amazing result.

BOBBIE FARRELL, Portishead, n. Somerset.

Plague of windmills

Stephen glover’S commentary ‘If Corbyn ruins our land with wind turbines it would be a monument to his disdain for our country’ was a breath of fresh air after the labour leader’s stifling plans to carpet the British countryside and coastline with more of these monstrosities.

The number of on-shore turbines is well over 30,000. The figure of 7,000 that the wind energy industry often quotes is because it deceptively counts only 100 kWh and greater turbines. Yet even a 50 kWh turbine can be visible for miles at up to 70m in height with 30m-diameter blades.

The second point is that depending on location, wind turbine owners can be paid between twice and five times the actual value of any energy they produce, which makes it the most expensive electricity in europe.

These subsidies are loaded onto every household electricity bill to make the already rich richer at the expense of everyone else.

Considering this, Comrade Corbyn’s cynical conference slogan ‘green over greed’ should be changed to a ‘greed over green’. PHILIP SULLIVAN, Lutterworth, Leics. How many wind farms are there in Islington?

B. SIMPSON, Preston, Lancs.

Stop smoking — go ski

When my father, Keith Slade, read the article about Shona Sibary’s

despair at her teenage children smoking, he said their mother should introduce them to skiing, as this is what made him quit.

He had started to ski at high altitude and couldn’t catch his breath. He was around 40 at the time.

Although he did quit smoking by hypnosis, he now has a terminal lung condition (pulmonary fibrosis), which is no respecter of age.

My father was very fit after a lifetime of sport. He was, fortunately, old when he contracted this, but now can do very little, as he is too short of breath and has to be looked after.

This is a warning to all those who think they are invincible — especially teenagers.

Caroline Slade, tenbury wells, worcs.

Rogue banks

Banks in the Fifties and sixties: ‘Let us look after your money and we will pay you and protect it for you.’ Banks in 2018: ‘We will use

your money so that we can pay shareholders, and, hey, if you get scammed because of our inefficient security systems, that’s your problem not ours!’ Ken Mclean, salisbury, wilts.

The mighty conkerer

On the subject of conkers (Mail), in pre-technology and pre-elf ’n’ safety days, all those cheese- cutters, doubles and monsters (horse- chestnuts) were ‘ hunted’ by throwing sticks to dislodge ones yet to fall.

I remember taking my ‘fifteener’ before the school bell and was awaited by all my classmates in the playground for the next battle! miKe macDonaLD, Loughborough, Leics.

What’s app, Doc?

The head of the Royal College of GPs bemoans the rise of GP appointment apps and private company consultations (Mail). But she is missing a vital point.

It is doctors who are choosing ( as opposed to being forced) to leave conventional general practices and work from home for what are described as ‘super salaries’.

It is disingenuous of clinicians to blame stress, overwork and poor pay. They are simply excuses to opt out and take the higher rewards on offer. GP practices have always been more about business than patients. Des morGan, swindon, wilts.