A chronicle of a death delayed: the taboo of death and the non-scientific limits of science

Abstracts

This report, presented as a case study, follows the eight days between internment for implantation of a pacemaker and the passing of a 92 year old person, with a history of hypertension and diabetes mellitus and at an advanced stage of Alzheimer's disease, characterized by complete loss of long and short term memory and an overall diagnosis of dementia with total incapacity for comprehension of his or her own hospital context. This is a report from the viewpoint of an observer with affective ties to the focus subject and with academic activities outside the area of medicine.

Attitude to death; Fatal outcome; Terminal care; Alzheimer disease; Dementia; Morals-Pleasure-Pain principle; Euthanasia