The Craig; Rainbow in my Fears

  It was like being in prison! Keys jangling, doors slamming and locks clanging. I had arrived in ward `F'. I could not imagine what the `F' stood for! There were numerous nurses to look after the forty or so patients. All of them had a bad reputation for violence, impulsiveness, perversity, dishonesty and possibly much more; and that was just the staff!
   However, this ward was run like a disciplinarians dream! When patients were admitted or transferred to this ward, they were taken to the dormitory, stripped, bathed and then changed into pyjamas, dressing gown and slippers. They were then escorted through to the main ward, to await the visit from their duty doctor. This could take a couple of days! The general rule was, `come in, sit down and shut up'! Once the doctor had assessed the patient, medication would be prescribed, given and 'hopefully' accepted. The patient would then be interviewed by senior staff and if deemed safe and cooperative, would be allowed to wear his own clothes.
   In the morning, the patients were encouraged to get up, standing by their beds, they would be counted and then marched through to the main ward, the door was locked behind them. The unruly youngsters, some as young as ten, were restricted to a corner of the ward. A junior staff nurse and two nursing assistants would be allocated the impossible task of keeping them in order!
   Medicines were dished out, before breakfast; no one was allowed to refuse! New patients quickly learnt that a refusal was not permitted. In the event that they did refuse, they were restrained and the staff nurse held his nose while he poured the syrup into his mouth, which was then held shut until swallowed, basic, but it usually worked. On the rare occasions that this strategy failed, an injection, of the medicine, would be drawn up. Even if the patient then decided, he would take the syrup; he was given the injection, into the right, upper, outer quadrant of the buttock. They seldom repeated their mistake!
   A full, Scottish breakfast of a plate of porridge, then bacon, egg, sausage, black pudding and beans, washed down with a cup of strong tea. The ward toilet was locked, it was only opened after meals and then for only twenty minutes. The exception was on a Wednesday! At 10 am, all the patients were lined up and given a 20ml, dose of laxative syrup! After 30 minutes and not before, the toilet door was opened to a stampede of desperate defecators!