Running Off at the Keyboard

The Hermit Philosopher sometimes needs to write like a cow needs to give milk. Here are some thoughts on a two totally unrelated topics: ambulances and ignorance.

Ambulances. I’m working on the 10th edition of my textbook and decided to include reference to the Emergency Medical Systems Act of 1973. In discussing this with a colleague, I learned that neither she (age about 55) nor her law students (mostly in their 20s) knew that the EMS system we now take for granted — the one with ambulances and EMTs at every firehouse and most hospitals — is a relatively new phenomenon.

Her students had watched a video about desegregation of hospitals in the early '60s, and they found it poignant that years ago some poor, Black patients had died while being transported to hospitals in hearses. In hearses, of all things! Egad!

I pointed out, however, that prior to creation of the EMS system about 50 years ago, it was common for patients -- rich or poor -- to be transported in hearses. After all, what other vehicle could comfortably carry a gurney or cot? A station wagon is not big enough. A pickup, large van, police “paddy wagon,” or flatbed truck might do, but not as comfortably. Thus, hearses were often used when the patient was unconscious, severely injured, etc., and of course some of them would die in route, regardless of their ethnicity or socioeconomic status.

This reminded me of an incident involving my own grandfather. Sometime in the early ‘60s he passed out at home. My father, being a physician, called for patient transport, and the person he called was John C., a family friend who happened to run a local funeral home. John arrived with his hearse and a driver, loaded Grandpa into the back, and took off for Dad's hospital. During the 10 minutes or so that it took to get there, Grandpa woke up, looked at Mr. C. (whom he knew), and said something like "You're early John. I'm still alive." 😂

Ignorance. The level of ignorance and outright imbecility in this country is frightening. For example:

● More than 70 million US citizens voted for a misogynistic, xenophobic liar in the 2020 presidential election, and many of them buy into his Big Lie about voter fraud despite there being no evidence supporting that claim. (Note: the audit of election results in Arizona resulted in an increase in Joe Biden’s victory margin there.)

● Millions of people refuse to be vaccinated, despite overwhelming evidence that the vaccines are safe and effective. (Remember: vaccines are why smallpox has been eliminated and we don’t see people in iron lungs anymore due to polio.)

● Untold tens of thousands get their “news” from talk radio, certain TV channels, and social media. These Weapons of Mass Distraction (the new “WMDs”) are cesspools of disinformation and conspiracy theories. 

 ● 10 percent of Americans question the existence of climate change and/or believe that if it is happening, it is not the result of human action. Another 10 percent (including the loser of the 2020 election) believe climate change is a conspiracy or hoax. (N.B.: 97% of climate scientists believe the climate is changing and humans are the main cause.) 

In conclusion. By one estimate, there are at least 100 billion galaxies in the universe and each one contains roughly 100 billion stars. That means there are at least 100 sextillion — 100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 — stars in the universe. If only one in a quintillion of those stars has earth-like conditions, then perhaps there are a hundred thousand planets out there in the vastness of space that might have developed intelligent life! It’s too bad ours isn’t one of them. ■