Paul Stevens
Consultant Nephrologist & Head
of Department, Kent & Canterbury Hospital
On Monday
15 April 1912, at 12.30 a.m. in the North Atlantic, near Canada, the RMS
Titanic struck an iceberg and sank. Only 745 people were saved but 1595 died.
There were many factors that led to this disaster but three are particularly
worthy of mention in the context of this symposium. Firstly, despite a general
awareness of the danger of icebergs there was no early warning system for this
particular iceberg. Secondly, the distress signal used was not the new,
internationally agreed “SOS” distress signal but the old “CQD” signal. Thirdly,
although in all 28 ships were in communication with the Titanic after it struck
the iceberg only one, the Carpathia, rescued all the survivors. For those who
have not yet guessed the Renal Medical Services Titanic is in danger of
striking the chronic kidney disease iceberg. Do we have any early warning
systems? What is the distress signal? Who should be coming to our rescue? How
big is the iceberg? What are the consequences of using the correct distress
signal? What are the controversies and what are the strategies that will break
up the iceberg and render it harmless?