A pro-life organisation which bought a building in Wichita, Kansas, formerly used as an abortion clinic for 23 years, say they have found walls completely covered in unseen blood. Luminol was used to detect traces of the blood, by making the traces glow in the dark. Cheryl Sullenger, who helped do the tests, said: "The walls looked like there had been a chain saw massacre in there. It was a shop of horrors." Operation Rescue will do extensive renovations before turning it into a memorial for unborn children, as well as the organisation's headquarters. [Lifenews.com, 7 August]
A coroner investigating the death of a woman allegedly starved and deprived of fluids in a Norfolk hospital has been asked to hold an inquest into the death of a man on the same ward. Relatives of Harold Speed, who had been examined by the same doctor as Olive Nockels, believe that he died of dehydration, not pneumonia as his death certificate says. The hospital trust denies the allegations. Last month, consultant physician David Maisey told the inquest that he saw people die of dehydration "all the time -- two or three times a week". [The Times, 8 August]
Schoolgirls in Norfolk are being given the abortion-inducing morning-after pill after lessons even if they are below the age of consent. Pupils at two schools in Norwich and five others in Great Yarmouth are being given access to the pill by family planning workers. Becky Oliver, lead officer at Norfolk's teenage pregnancy strategy unit, said: "This confidential service is available to young people in all years at the participating schools and has the full support of the schools management and governing bodies." [Norwich Evening News, 8 August]
Mixing animal and human material to create hybrid embryos for research should be banned, the Scottish Council on Human Bioethics said in a report yesterday. Dr Calum MacKellar, the director of research at the council said: "Most people are not aware that these kinds of experiments have been taking place in the UK and find it deeply offensive." [The Scotsman, 8 August] The Council's report can be read here.
Ultrasound could be harmful to unborn children, further research suggests. An American research team led by Dr Pasko Rakic at the Yale School of Medicine found that prolonged and frequent use of ultrasound causes brain abnormalities in the developing foetuses of pregnant mice. Bruce Ramsay, a consultant speaking for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecology, said: "Keepsake ultrasounds are a new consumer-led development and undoubtedly increase the exposure of the foetus to ultrasound with no obvious medical benefit." [The Daily Telegraph, 8 August]
Conjoined twin girls have been surgically separated in Utah. Kendra and Maliyah Herrin were separated after 16 hours of surgery, though information about their condition has not yet been released. Doctors said they face a long road to recovery. [Reuters, 8 August]