Friday, January 18, 2008

Unwashed ruling

A Norwegian court ruled that an Oslo nursing home cannot forcibly bathe the "cave man," a patient reportedly with a Neanderthal standard of personal hygiene.

The 54-year-old man, who was kicked out of student housing at the University of Oslo in the 1970s because of his smell, lived in a cave for a while near the university campus. But his lawyer told Norwegian Broadcasting that his client has a right to make his own decisions.

"He has waited a long time and can now finally decide over his own body," lawyer Nils Nordhus said.

The man was taken to a municipal nursing home to be treated for infections that appear to be at least partly a consequence of his lifestyle. At one point, he lived in a garbage dump, Norwegian Broadcasting said.

Sylvi Listhaug, the director of municipal nursing services, said that washing and cleaning the patient's legs is a necessary part of treating his sores. She said he also poses a risk of infection to other patients and staff.

Nordhus wants his client to be treated in a more "appropriate" setting but he couldn't suggest one when asked where that might be, Norwegian Broadcasting said.

2 comments:

yellowdoggranny said...

why don't they just run him through a car wash?

dom said...

He'd look strange with a wax