1.   All patients were initially asymptomatic and remained so during follow-up.

2.   And patients are the worst offenders.

3.   Consent means that the patient must be capable of understanding the nature, purpose and likely effects of the proposed treatments.

4.   Elderly patients are especially prone to these side effects.

5.   In brain surgery then, there was only a local anaesthetic and the patient was semi-conscious.

6.   In practical terms, there are some patients in whom pain is severe and continues on as the skin inflammation improves.

7.   Indeed, his first patient was a Philadelphia man who suffered from epilepsy and psychiatric symptoms.