We Need A Boar's Head Pub In Every Hospital

By Dr. W. Gifford Jones

Monday, January 16, 2006

How about opening an English style pub in your local hospital? Just mention this idea to a hospital board and it will question your sanity. Readers may also conclude that I've gotten into the sauce before writing this column. But 25 years ago I visited the Boar's Head Pub in Toronto's Sunnybrook Veteran's Hospital and left convinced that it helped patients cope with medical problems better than most medications.

Today hardly a week goes by without hearing that a commonly used drug is causing heart attack, stroke or some other serious complication. Look at any medication and its literature lists potential complications as long as your arm. Alcohol, on the other hand, is one of the oldest drugs known to man and a more useful one, if used with moderation.

I've never forgotten the Boar's Head or Sheila the personable barmaid. The pub was licensed by the Liquor Control Board of Ontario and the Royal Canadian Legion provided the funds for the project.

Sheila didn't have a degree in psychology, but was loaded with practical savvy and communicated with patients better than most physicians.

One patient became extremely depressed upon hearing his leg required amputation. He was finally persuaded that a glass of beer at the pub might help to relieve his anxiety. That's when Sheila started her therapy of just listening to his fears. She convinced him to return the next day, introduced him to other patients and eventually to one who had lost both legs. Seeing how he had coped, along with the camaraderie of the pub, helped to restore his confidence.

I watched Sheila charm those suffering from a variety of illnesses that had disrupted their lives. She welcomed them with, "Hi, George, your usual?" Or "What's the matter Charlie? Did the nurses turn you out of your room?" It always brought a smile. So did the little kiss on the cheek when she delivered the drink to those who had lost limbs. She said it was not part of her job description, but it showed someone cared. Today she would be fired, accused of sexual harassment.

The pub's drawing force was not just beer. Some patients dropped by for a soft drink or merely to talk to other patients. It was a chance to escape the boredom of hospital routine.

A look at Sheila's scrapbook revealed how she had affected many lives. Grateful letters arrived after some had left the hospital. One 82 year old man presented her with a daring black negligee. Today he'd be in trouble.

The pub did not encourage alcoholism. Patients whose medical condition permitted an alcoholic beverage were issued pub cards. This entitled them to two drinks a day and visitors the same number.

I recall shocking nurses when I ordered an alcoholic drink for a patient a couple of days after surgery. The patient had previously enjoyed a pre-dinner drink. Why not? A single drink before eating never killed anyone. Besides, alcohol oils the blood, making it less likely to form a clot, relaxes blood vessels, increases the good cholesterol and improves appetite. This order also helped to convince patients that I didn't think they were going to die.

Critics argue that a hospital pub will increase alcoholism counteracting any medical benefit. There will always be those who abuse such privilege. But people who drive cars at 140 miles an hour kill others and we don't ban the sale of cars.

Regrettably the Boar's Head has closed. Hospital patients can no longer look forward to a happy hour at the end of the day. And I'm sure hell will freeze over before a hospital board in this country has the imagination to start another one.

The alternative is that patients are confined to looking at four walls day after day. Rather than providing those who desire it with a relaxing beverage to brighten their day, doctors now knock them out with tranquilizers and questionable sedatives. Visit a chronic care facility and see it first hand. Then decide which medication you would prefer.

We are told that God turned water into wine. There must have been a good reason. What do you think?

W. Gifford-Jones M.D is the pen name of Dr. Ken Walker graduate of Harvard. Dr. Walker's website is: Docgiff.com

My book, �90 + How I Got There� can be obtained by sending $19.95 to:

Giff Holdings, 525 Balliol St, Unit # 6,Toronto, Ontario, M4S 1E1

Pre-2008 articles by Gifford Jones

Canada Free Press, CFP Editor Judi McLeod