Re: Alarming statistics.

[Mark Baker <mark@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

CamaroGen1@aol.com writes
>                Remember, we're talking about ACCIDENTS here.  A doctor 
>    ACCIDENTALLY gives too much morphine, or a drug that the patient is 
>    allergic 
>    to.  My gun is grabbed by an assailant and innocents shot is an 
>    ACCIDENT. 
>
Well the examples I gave would probably be considered accidents.

The statistics are comparing "chalk with cheese" in the first place, as
Rob acknowledged with the smiley at the end of his original message, or
at least active with passive.
The likelihood of a doctor causing an accident while he's sitting at
home watching the television are probably statistically close to the
likelihood of a firearm locked in a gun safe causing an accident. The
odds of a doctor causing an accident while in the shower are probably
marginally less than the likelihood of an accident while a gun is being
cleaned. The odds of a doctor accidentally killing somebody increase
significantly when only he is actively practising his profession.

> They belive IF we HAVE to have the guns, they should never leave the
> house, be locked in a cabinet, and trigger locked, and have a DNA
> decoder lock.
>
Well there are strict restrictions on doctors as well (having to have a
qualification before they can legally practise, etc). I would imagine
that bringing _illegal_ actions into the statistics creates much greater
discrepancies.

-- 
Mark Baker
http://www.lange.demon.co.uk/Millenniums_End/ME_Index.html
and visit http://www.the-isg.co.uk/ for the ME London Sourcebook