As a resident houseman at the old RIE in 1977 (wards 17/18 ,cardiothoracic surgery) I remember visiting the Doctors’ Mess for meals, which were provided for the resident medical staff. As my rota was 1 in 2, this was essential, for us non-married docs.

On more than one occasion visiting the mess late at night for a snack, it was apparent that the Mess was also serving as an essential source of food for the large cockroach population, who emerged at night time when it was quiet and dark, to feast on the crumbs and morsels left on the floor. There were literally hundreds!

The RIE provided envelopes and letter boxes around the hospital and encouraged these to be posted with feedback suggestions from staff, patients and visitors of their experiences. Myself and a colleague therefore felt it would be entirely appropriate to inform the Management of the out of hours cockroach problem by filling out a suggestions form and accompanying this for good measure, with a scoop of live cockroaches INTO the letter box.

Shortly after this I left the RIE to commence training in Ophthalmology, and I am therefore unsure if our anonymous action had any effect on the cockroach problem!