Posted on 05/26/2005 8:40:28 PM PDT by quidnunc
Long, pointed kitchen knives should be banned as part of a concerted effort to reduce the terrible injuries and deaths caused by stabbing attacks, doctors warned today.
Accident and emergency medics claim the knives serve no useful purpose in the kitchen but are proving deadly on the streets of Britain, with the doctors claiming the knives are used in as many as half of all stabbings.
The doctors claimed they had consulted leading chefs who said the knives were not needed for cooking — a claim disputed by chefs contacted by The Scotsman.
Latest figures from the Scottish Executive show that in 2003, 55 of 108 homicide victims were stabbed by a sharp instrument — often a kitchen knife.
Writing in the British Medical Journal, specialist registrar Dr Emma Hern and emergency medicine consultant Dr Mike Beckett said a short pointed knife may cause a substantial superficial wound if used in an assault, but is unlikely to penetrate to inner organs. However, a pointed long blade pierces the body like "cutting into a ripe melon".
Internal organs can be heavily damaged, causing serious injury or death. The doctors said long knives with blunt ends — such as bread knives — would do far less damage.
-snip-
I figure that before long they will ban electricity, the Internal Combustion Engine, and then, finally
Fire.
Well, given that they are most often used to eat army chow...that might be a good thing!
Britain killed off virtually all of their high-quality genetic stock in 2 World Wars (with the exception of our UK Freepers). What's left now are the dregs of the gene pool.
OOOOO! Martha would not say that this ban is " a good thing."
the right to keep and bear knives only refers to the army not citizens although I do respect the rights of sportsmans and target shooters to chop vegetables.
Gee. I guess banning guns, knives, SUVs, stones, glass shards, rope, wire, plastic wrap, pillows, hammers, saws, nails, little yappy dogs, ugly people, and bad smells, will usher in utopia.
Damn. Just damn.
Christopher Hitchens' (Vanity Fair columnist) has a brother who wrote a superb chronicle of how it all happened. It's calle "The Abolition of Britain".
>>>The doctors claimed they had consulted leading chefs who said the knives were not needed for cooking
What? I missed that. What do they use to butcher meat than?
I remember!
Move along. Nothing new here. When my sister wanted lots of surgical practice, she went to a hospital in Liverpool where there were an incredible number of knife wounds every weekend.
And this was many long years ago.
You will not need sporks, a straw will due. Your teeth are next to be banned.
You mean they won't be able to ever play baseball and softball.... no bats?
I wonder how much damage can be caused by tennis racquets.
And then we can live in caves! Woo hoo! I'll pre-order my burqa to avoid the rush!
LOL, not in my area, my dear. Probably in MD, though.
Yep, once we start 'sporkin 'em', we'll be reduced to slurping gruel from bowls. Because even straws can be weapons.
Sharp words, pointed comments..
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