Hospital study shows full moons werewolf effect – The Age – Crikey! Good to hear werewolves are adapting to the modern way of life.
A study in an Australian hospital has identified a spike in out-of-control “werewolf” patients when a full moon is out.
There were 91 emergency patients rated as having violent and acute behavioural disturbance at the Calvary Mater Newcastle hospital from August 2008 to July 2009.
Leonie Calver, a clinical research nurse in toxicology, said almost a quarter of the cases (23 per cent) occurred on a night of full moon and this was double the number for other lunar phases.
The patients all had to be sedated and physically restrained to protect themselves and others.
“Some of these patients attacked the staff like animals – biting, spitting and scratching,” Ms Calver said.
“One might compare them with the werewolves of the past, who are said to have also appeared during the full moon.”
[…]
Ms Calver said it appeared the “modern-day werewolf” preferred alcohol or illicit drugs, as more than 60 per cent of the patients reviewed in the study were under the influence.“We don’t know if its more fun to use drugs and alcohol under a full moon or if their behavioural disturbance is directly influenced by the moon,” she said.
“Our findings support the premise that individuals with violent and acute behavioural disturbance are more likely to present to the emergency department during…full moon.”
Always glad to see you guys right there on the edge of scientific breakthroughs.
horror culture has ingrained werewolves and full moons into peoples’ mind. it is more of a mental state than the moon having an actual effect. :\
Yea….
I remember even as a kid in the 70’s the common notion that any cop or hospital worker could tell you that the crazies come out during a full moon.
They must be really crazy when the sun comes out if they are when the moon is a little brighter than it was the day before.
I have vivid dreams when there’s a full moon.
>>Buzz said, on December 12th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
>> Always glad to see you guys right there on the edge of scientific breakthroughs.
He. He. I guess it reveals that being tech-savvy is not the same as being science-minded.
I have never been able to believe that this “full moon” thing is real in a physiological sense — i.e. the moon actually causes it.
I could more easily believe in it as a cultural phenomenon. If people are _expected_ to act crazy during a full moon, then it’s easy to believe that that will.
werewolves??? they are just drunken rolf harris impersonators!
http://rolfharris.com/
Whenever I do laundry during a full moon, I inexplicably switch to Tide.
Lycanthropy is an actual human illness, it can be a mental or physical condition, not related to moon phases at all, but to extreme emotions and gene disorders.
“Some of these patients attacked the staff like animals – biting, spitting and scratching,”
That was no werewolf – that was my ex-wife!
I liked the picture.
I think in the past people were out and about more on a full moon because there was more light to see by once my eyes adjusted to low light. On a clear night with a full moon as a kid I didn’t have any problems seeing at all.
On a dark night you either can’t see what you are doing or where you are going or you have to us a light that sort of gives you away if you are up to mischief.
I think you will find that these were actually Revenue officers/tax collectors.
They always behave like this.
The full moon is a non-influencing distraction from the true explanation. I am led to the belief that similar behavours have been recorded in respect of mother-in-laws.
work in healthcare for any length of time and you will believe that full moons really do make people go nuts. Sadly, since there is no science to back it up you can’t get employers to expand your staffing matrix during those nights.
The whole full moon thing is just confirmation bias. Whenever something weird happens and it’s a full moon people remember it. They don’t count all the times crazy shit happens when it’s not a full moon or all the times there is a full moon and nothing happens.
My mum has worked in a mental health institution for 20+ years, and will tell you the patients tend to act more aggressive/more weird (my terminology) during a full moon. She says the running joke is to ask the staff to double check if the ‘at home’ patients have ‘taken their meds’ during a full moon, otherwise stay off the streets.
I believe it! Have you seen Hugh Jackman lately? http://bit.ly/69Uu8R
Cool werewolf pic, do you have a link to the original?
[ http://aaron-sims.com/creatures.html – ed.]
>> Rider said,
>> The whole full moon thing is just confirmation bias.
You mean like that “people die in threes” nonsense that everybody seems to believe?
I didn’t realize it had been named… “confirmation bias” … that’s good!
It’s so common and I’m glad I have a name for it now.
Only Christian exorcism can resolve this.
It’s not the full moon that causes the problem, but those who worship on the full moon — witches and Satanists.
Those who hold out faith that “science” will eventually have the answer have a long wait ahead of them!
I think this sums it all
http://encyclopediadramatica.com/Werewolf
# 20 Timuchin said, on December 14th, 2009 at 9:23 am
“Only Christian exorcism can resolve this.
It’s not the full moon that causes the problem, but those who worship on the full moon — witches and Satanists.”
nuff said, right?