Munchausen - can you trace this text?

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Can you trace this text? · WIN £20 (1st prize), £10 (2nd prize) – that’s about US$40 / US$20 · Help a loving mother keep her two children · If you can’t trace the text yourself, please pass this message on.

The following extracts are taken from a Social Work Report submitted to a Child Protection Case Conference, where a mother has been accused of having MBPS (Munchausen/Munchhausen By Proxy Syndrome – this means that the mother supposedly makes up symptoms of illness in her child, to get sympathy and attention for herself). I know for certain that the accounts are fictitious; what interests me is that they look suspiciously like extracts from a textbook or novel.

Entrants should cite (with relevant portions quoted) one work or several works, preferably published before February 2002, which match the extracts as closely as possible. Credit will be given for earliness of entry and closeness to the extracts – the editor’s decision (mine) will be final. Closing date: preferably before 7pm on Sunday 22nd September 2002, although entries of exceptional quality may be considered after then.

Reason for competition I would like to expose the social worker who submitted the report as a fraud, and prevent him/her from removing the children from the care of the mother. Winners’ names may be published if they wish, or remain confidential if they’d rather just keep their heads down and enjoy the money. (And of course, the satisfaction of knowing that they’ve helped keep a family together.)

The extracts 1. “X__ claimed that a CT Scan showed a suspected tumour in her brain, which is causing blackouts, dizziness and vomiting. Her children become frightened when they see her like this as she might die. X__ prepares her children for her death.”

2. “X__ said that she understood the negative impact the [powerful drug] were having on the children but said it was not possible to reduce the doses and that the consultants are fully aware of this. X__ spoke about her feelings of death, her fear with regards to herself and her children’s death. X__ spoke about her fears of her children being kidnapped by her husband, although she agreed he has made no such attempts.”

3. “X__ disheartened to know that family therapy was not going to be appropriate at this time. X__ told me that [small child’s name] says that the ‘better place to be is in heaven’. X__ made [sister’s name] promise not to switch off the ventilator machine when she goes on one. X__ was told that doctors have said to me that high levels of [powerful drug] was not authorised. X__ insisted the contrary and signed a paper which details doses of medication etc which she herself had written up and sent to me and the school.”

4. “Home visit to [father’s address]. X__ and her children sleeping. X__’s father at home. X__ did not take children to be seen by a doctor as she has all the medication. X__’s father was fearful and requested that I take care of X__ and her children. He is fearful of how long X__ and her children might live, that they may die due to their illnesses. He was also unsure as to how much longer he will live although he is only [approx. 50] years old and has no physical illness.”

PLEASE SUBMIT ENTRIES TO

munchies@hand5.co.uk

(note: that’s ‘hand5’, i.e. there’s the number 5 on the end, not an ‘s’)

Thank you and good luck!

-- John Glover (munchies@hand5.co.uk), September 15, 2002


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