SEPSIS the doctor’s dilemma

by Dr Steve McCabe

WHAT DO 18th century philosopher and women’s rights activist Mary Wollstonecraft, Superman actor Christopher Reeve, First World War poet Rupert Brooke, King Alexander of Greece, Brazilian footballer Socrates and legendary boxer Mohammad Ali have in common?

It sounds like some left field pub quiz question but the answer is something more prosaic yet serious and sinister. They all died as a result of overwhelming infection - sepsis.

Wollstonecraft died of sepsis secondary to child birth; Reeve died of sepsis secondary to a pressure sore; Brooke died of sepsis secondary to a mosquito bite; King Alexander died of sepsis secondary to a monkey bite; Socrates died of sepsis secondary to a bout of food poisoning; and Muhammed Ali died of sepsis secondary to a chest infection.

Sepsis is difficult to diagnose early and difficult to treat late

The concept of sepsis is not new. The American adventurer Edwin Smith purchased two papyri in Luxor in 1862. These ancient texts probably came from a physician’s tomb in the great necropolis of Thebes on the west bank of the Nile. They date from about 1500BC but they are also probably copies of much older texts from about 3000BC. They contain references to the concept of sepsis which was at that time felt to be an overwhelming intoxication caused by infection in the large bowel.