Systemic inflammatory response syndrome-based severe sepsis screening algorithms in emergency department patients with suspected sepsis.

Objective: Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS)-based severe sepsis screening algorithms have been utilised in stratification and initiation of early broad spectrum antibiotics for patients presenting to EDs with suspected sepsis. We aimed to investigate the performance of some of these algorithms on a cohort of suspected sepsis patients.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis on an ED-based prospective sepsis registry at a tertiary Sydney hospital, Australia.

[Blood letting by cupping--a "medical" vignette].

This is a report on a "clinic" in northern Israel, in which a considerable number of people are treated by bloodletting. The authors witnessed the procedures of cupping various areas of the body and puncturing them by needles. The person in charge, who does not have any medical education or Licensing, and a client were interviewed.