Mice Chew War Vet's Head

10:47am UK, Thursday April 30, 2009
An 89-year-old war veteran has been found covered in blood after mice chewed his head at an Australian nursing home.

The nursing home has been caught in the middle of a district-wide mouse plague

The man was discovered in a state of distress at the state government-run nursing home in south west Queensland.

Local MP Ray Hopper likened the situation to the Third World.

"I'm told by the elderly man's daughter that the poor old fellow had been trying to brush the mice away as they continued chewing his ears, head and neck," he said.

"He was so stressed that doctors put him on morphine to calm him down. He nearly died on Saturday night. He was being eaten alive."

It wasn't just a little nip. It wasn't nice at all.

The attack came to light when the man's daughter complained to the MP.

Queensland's Health Minister Paul Lucas has apologised to the victim and his family, and offered to relocate other residents of the facility.

The man's daughter said her father was unaware the mice attack took place.

"Because of his age, he's bed-ridden and he has limited communication ability," she said.

The woman told of her disbelief after seeing the injuries on Sunday. "It wasn't just a little nip. It wasn't nice at all," she said.

She added how her family still had complete faith in the nursing home staff, who have had a close relationship with the man during his two years there.

But Australia's Ageing Minister Justine Elliot has ordered an investigation into the procedures and processes at the home in Dalby, 130 miles west of Brisbane.

Karingal Nursing Home, an 80-bed facility with 22 residents over the age of 90, cannot operate without accreditation.

Extra staff and pest control contractors have been called in to deal with the vermin, a Queensland Health spokeswoman said.

That remindes me of a tactic the Viet cong used to use to torture their prisioners.The would lower a person into the river and put a cage over the persons head and put a bunch of rats in there.Awful way to die.

Reminds you?

You are 34 years old? Certainly you weren't there to witness such an atrocity.

Perhaps it reminds you of something you read or maybe a movie you watched? Was Chuck Norris involved?

Oh, but wait...you support torture don't you?

Especially against foreigners invading or threatening your country.

No need for a Geneva Convention right?

If that method of torture was actually used...that's okay right? Every post you've made on the subject of torture up to this point supports it after all.

Okay...now that I pointed out the obvious...my sympathies to this man and a wish...that you get out and investigate the state of VA facilities here in the states. Bush spent tons making war but slashed the budget for taking care of those who have sacrificed for this country right or wrong.

I know many of you all don't like to throw money at things and you hate to pay taxes but...

I have posted since my first days on these boards about the sorry state of the VA and the services (if you want to call them that) provided or not provided to our vets.

It is my hope people continue to speak out for and work for our vets.

This is so sad, my question is why did it take this man's daughter to report the incident. Didn't the staff see these wounds when tending to her father? Glad to hear that they did call in pest control and relocated other patients, but this is truly sad.