昨日見た面白いニュース。
アメリカのとある老人養護施設で飼われている猫が患者の死を予告するという。
オスカー君、2歳。彼が患者の横で体を丸めて横たわると、その患者は数時間後に必ず最期のときを迎えるというのだ。彼はすでに25人の死を看取ったという。
Oscar the cat seems to have an uncanny knack for predicting when nursing home patients are going to die, by curling up next to them during their final hours. His accuracy, observed in 25 cases, has led the staff to call family members once he has chosen someone. It usually means they have less than four hours to live.
オスカー君は子猫のときにこの施設にもらわれてきてスタッフによって育てられている。6ヵ月たったとき、スタッフはオスカー君がドクターの回診のように病棟を見てあるき、患者の匂いをかいだり様子を観察したりするのに気づいた。そしてその数時間後に死を迎える患者の横に座るのだ。
The 2-year-old feline was adopted as a kitten and grew up in a third-floor dementia unit at the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. The facility treats people with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and other illnesses.
After about six months, the staff noticed Oscar would make his own rounds, just like the doctors and nurses. He'd sniff and observe patients, then sit beside people who would wind up dying in a few hours.
施設のドクターであり末期治療の権威でもあるジョアン・テノ氏は、ある患者の死によってオスカー君の予知力を確信したという。その患者は診察で明らかに死の予兆が出ていたが、当初オスカー君はその部屋を訪れなかった。テノ氏は彼の能力もここまでかと思った、が、患者がいよいよ最期のときを迎えるという２時間前にはしっかりオスカー君がそばに寄り添っていた。
Oscar is better at predicting death than the people who work there, said Dr. Joan Teno of Brown University, who treats patients at the nursing home and is an expert on care for the terminally ill.
She was convinced of Oscar's talent when he made his 13th correct call. While observing one patient, Teno said she noticed the woman wasn't eating, was breathing with difficulty and that her legs had a bluish tinge, signs that often mean death is near.
Oscar wouldn't stay inside the room though, so Teno thought his streak was broken. Instead, it turned out the doctor's prediction was roughly 10 hours too early. Sure enough, during the patient's final two hours, nurses told Teno that Oscar joined the woman at her bedside.
ほとんどの患者はオスカー君が部屋を訪れたときはときすでにそれに気づく状態ではなく、家族はむしろオスカー君の予知によって最期を看取ることができると感謝しているという。部屋の外に出されたオスカー君は、そこで悲しみの泣き声をあげるのだそうだ。
Doctors say most of the people who get a visit from the sweet-faced, gray-and-white cat are so ill they probably don't know he's there, so patients aren't aware he's a harbinger of death. Most families are grateful for the advanced warning, although one wanted Oscar out of the room while a family member died. When Oscar is put outside, he paces and meows his displeasure.
New England Journal of Medicine: http://content.nejm.org/
© 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Oscar recently received a wall plaque publicly commending his "compassionate hospice care.
＜画像をクリックしてニュースを聞いてみよう！＞
アメリカのとある老人養護施設で飼われている猫が患者の死を予告するという。
オスカー君、2歳。彼が患者の横で体を丸めて横たわると、その患者は数時間後に必ず最期のときを迎えるというのだ。彼はすでに25人の死を看取ったという。
Oscar the cat seems to have an uncanny knack for predicting when nursing home patients are going to die, by curling up next to them during their final hours. His accuracy, observed in 25 cases, has led the staff to call family members once he has chosen someone. It usually means they have less than four hours to live.
オスカー君は子猫のときにこの施設にもらわれてきてスタッフによって育てられている。6ヵ月たったとき、スタッフはオスカー君がドクターの回診のように病棟を見てあるき、患者の匂いをかいだり様子を観察したりするのに気づいた。そしてその数時間後に死を迎える患者の横に座るのだ。
The 2-year-old feline was adopted as a kitten and grew up in a third-floor dementia unit at the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. The facility treats people with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and other illnesses.
After about six months, the staff noticed Oscar would make his own rounds, just like the doctors and nurses. He'd sniff and observe patients, then sit beside people who would wind up dying in a few hours.
施設のドクターであり末期治療の権威でもあるジョアン・テノ氏は、ある患者の死によってオスカー君の予知力を確信したという。その患者は診察で明らかに死の予兆が出ていたが、当初オスカー君はその部屋を訪れなかった。テノ氏は彼の能力もここまでかと思った、が、患者がいよいよ最期のときを迎えるという２時間前にはしっかりオスカー君がそばに寄り添っていた。
Oscar is better at predicting death than the people who work there, said Dr. Joan Teno of Brown University, who treats patients at the nursing home and is an expert on care for the terminally ill.
She was convinced of Oscar's talent when he made his 13th correct call. While observing one patient, Teno said she noticed the woman wasn't eating, was breathing with difficulty and that her legs had a bluish tinge, signs that often mean death is near.
Oscar wouldn't stay inside the room though, so Teno thought his streak was broken. Instead, it turned out the doctor's prediction was roughly 10 hours too early. Sure enough, during the patient's final two hours, nurses told Teno that Oscar joined the woman at her bedside.
ほとんどの患者はオスカー君が部屋を訪れたときはときすでにそれに気づく状態ではなく、家族はむしろオスカー君の予知によって最期を看取ることができると感謝しているという。部屋の外に出されたオスカー君は、そこで悲しみの泣き声をあげるのだそうだ。
Doctors say most of the people who get a visit from the sweet-faced, gray-and-white cat are so ill they probably don't know he's there, so patients aren't aware he's a harbinger of death. Most families are grateful for the advanced warning, although one wanted Oscar out of the room while a family member died. When Oscar is put outside, he paces and meows his displeasure.
New England Journal of Medicine: http://content.nejm.org/
© 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Oscar recently received a wall plaque publicly commending his "compassionate hospice care.
＜画像をクリックしてニュースを聞いてみよう！＞
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