Tragic Case of Yusef Camp

Nine-year-old Yusef Camp began experiencing symptoms soon after eating a pickle bought
from a street vendor. He felt dizzy and fell down, he could not use his legs, and he began
to scream. By 10:00 p.m., he was hallucinating and was transported to the DC General
Hospital by ambulance. He went into convulsions. His stomach was pumped, and they
found traces of marijuana and possibly PCP. He soon stopped breathing, and by the next
morning, brain scans showed no activity. life in “brain dead” DC boy

Tragic Case of Yusef Camp

Four months later Yusef’s condition had not changed. ,The physicians believed his brain
was not functioning and wanted to pronounce him dead based on brain criteria. Several
difficulties were encountered, however. First, there was some disagreement among the
medical personnel over whether his brain function had ceased completely.

Second, at that
time the District of Columbia had no law authorizing death pronouncement based on
brain criteria. It was not clear that physicians could use death as grounds for stopping treatment. Most important, Ronald Camp, the boy’s father, protested vigorously any suggestion that treatment be stopped. A devout Muslim, he said, “I could walk up and say unplug him; but for the rest of my life I would be thinking, was I too hasty? Could he have recovered if I had given it another 6 months or a year? I’m leaving it in Almighty God’s
hand to let it take whatever flow it will.”

life in “brain dead” DC boy
The nurses involved in Yusef’s care faced several problems. Maggots were found growing in Yusef’s lungs and nasal passages. His right foot and ankle became gangrenous. He showed no response to noises or painful stimuli. The nurses had the responsibility not only for maintaining the respiratory tract and the gangrenous limb, but also for providing the intensive nursing care needed to maintain Yusef in debilitated condition
on life support systems.  APA