CPC Newsletter September 1991 GREAT ORME VISIT This will be on 20th - 22nd September 1991. The venue will be the WEDGEWOOD HOTEL, 6 DEGANWY AV. LLANDUDNO (Telephone 0492 78016). Bed, breakfast & evening meal for 2 mights is £28 per head (adult). This represents a discount of £14 off the usual price. Activities : Caving in the Great Orme Copper Mines Rock Climbing on the Great Orme Rock Climbing in the Snowdonia National Park (approx 20 miles away) Skiing on the dry Ski Slope Canyoning (if anyone can find a canyon) Walking tS Drinking Sleeping Others Most rooms at the Wedgewood are en-suite (first come - first served), have colour Tele's, tea making facilities and all the usual crap plus there is a LICENCED BAR! If interested, please ring LIONEL PARKINSON Jnr on: 0782 388399 Ext 4414 (day) or 0782 771157 (night) He will need number of spaces required, sleeping arrangements (nosey sod) ie number of double/single beds, sinks and/or toilets, number of adults/children and a phone number he can contact you on if possible. ox OF BCRA NATIONAL CAVING CONFERENCE What a_ bitch! Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond Lionels control, this coincides with the Great Orme weekend. It will be the last one held at Manchester for some time. If you can't afford Llandudno this is slightly cheaper (providing you don't stay the night!) but not as much fun. See inside for details. «> CRC INCIDENT REPORT 199 The British Cave Rescue Council has issued the following report for 1990: General Notes ery of the body of a 16 year old boy from Ivy Green Cave. Derbyshire (Descent 95, p18), who had disap- peared 13 months previously while out jogging. The second was a man on a company management course, who died a short distance inside the Silica Mine at Glyn Neath, South Wales. from natural causes. The fact that he was underground was 1, Although three underground fa- talities are recorded, oniy one in- volved a caver, who drowned in Kingsdale Master Cave while go- ing by himself for assistance for his group (see Descent 93, p10). The other two fatalities involved non-cavers. The first was the recov- purely coincidental (Descent 96, p7). 2. The two cave diving incidents were (i), a cave diver in Ogof Ffynnon Ddu. who waited for res- cue in an airbell after his diving line became detached (Descent 94. p7), and (ii) the rescue of seven cavers trapped by floods whena section of Rough Hill Inlet in Old Ing Cave was sumped. NB: Cave divers were also called out (but not used as divers) to Ibbeth Peril Cave when two teachers and five children were BRITISH CAVE RESCUE COUNCIL Incident report for the year 1st January 1990-31st December 1990 | (Animal incidents are not included in this summary) rm s | | << % | | | a =| | 9 | - + = Pls | iS) & ole 3 S31 2 9 |c Zio Olga ri z A=} 4 hse [OWI 4 ad 2;4¥'!O/8 OhTO: 83) Sey vesinkkes 1 2)8).81S |2 12 g O|z : 215 Sei] 23 A tee Aleieei! S : s elelele ores le (2 2/3) 35/2 S/F 5/2/2135 15/8 18 2/3) 2/2 c|slojo/ Sl) s |S )zZ la &\a)s)5 Underground caving incidents}15 | 9 | 2 | - | 1 | 8 = slag ta| ox blestzeatlccsl’ cle Sale OS No. of persons involved SO [7 | 2 | =) 3: 435 - | 4 | + | 26446 [pe Sif dS No. of fatalities 1} - - - - - a 1 - - 3 No. injured (non fatal) A Wo Bee] of Be fete oe | SP a ak ag Underground animal incidents} 6 | 4+ | - |} -/-|-/-}1f1}- 2] -) 1445 Total undergound incidents 2 is 2! =| 1 | 38 - | 3 Tj. 119 =| 4) 73 seh al cee | SY | Surface incidents lor |" = - Sa as - - | 1} dl} 13] 43 No. of persons involved 27 | - 1 - - - 1 - )-]- 4) 18') 220) 72 | | No. of fatalities = 5° = = = l = i = - ~} 2 3 No. injured (non fatal) ll i-u- ay, FRE/ETES He - -|- = }54° 8) 24 Surface animal incidents Ailes dd fey a) ate epee oft h sb 8 Total surface incidents Mi=fa}-=|-) 4] -|-[- rig) io Se a ee a | as —= Aid to other rescue teams. ——e| Underground accidents SSSA wre. 8 Bre aa] Rep SM), 2H GRE 5 Surface incidents leon - - | - - = ieee - - - - ote *Search and rescue dogs and their hanalers only Pan Quick summary 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1980-1990 Underground caving incidents 48 +6 44 44 28 47 47 44 47 73 56 No. persons involved 104 989 108) 109, 63 121 102, 109s 123 184 146 No. fatalities 3 1 7 1 5 1 4 o3 4 1 3 Cave inc. cave diving incidents a 2 3 - - + 1 1 1 3 2 No. persons involved 2 2 E) - 5 Ee) 1 1 3 8 No. fatalities 2 : I r * a - - 1 - trapped by floods (Descent 96, p10). 3. The number of persons sustain- ing physical injury underground remains a very smail proportion of those involved in underground in- cidents. 4. The total number of persons in- volved includes an occasional con- servative estimate of the number in overdue parties. 5. Relatively few incidents in- volved recognised caving clubs. More incidents involved clubs con- nected with university/polytechnic/ college clubs, which have a rapidly changing membership. Other inci- dents involved schools. scouts. outdoor pursuits, youth centres, and business groups, etc.. plus a large number of smail groups caving as ‘individuals’. The silliest callout was to search for an overdue caving party (a minibus full) from an offi- cial authority. It was some time later that the caller had to ring back and admit that the party was not due to go caving until the next day. 6. There were atleasttennon-caver incidents including searches for persons missing in a general area. potential suicide victims and a mur- der victim, plus other investigations forthe police - all involving searches underground. 7. The CRO is based at Clapham. North Yorks. 8. The underground animal inci- dents involved 3 sheep, 2 lambs, 2 calves. 7 dogs and | cat. 9. The surtace incidents include fell/moorland rescues/searches. climbing incidents. etc. Teams in the North of England carry out these duties as part of their normal rescue work. 10.The surface animal incidents involved 6 sheep. | lamb and 3 cows. 11.Alerts dealt with by telephone, local knowledge without the rescue team turning out. and standby calls. are not recorded. Summary of causes The main cause of the under- ground incidents. excluding | animal rescues. can be sum- ; marised as follows. In many | cases there are contributory « causes, but these are not in- cluded. Falls Party simply overdue Exhaustion/exposure Party lost Missing persons Floods Other water incidents Investigations Physical jamming Medical emergency Recovery of body Total 5 CO—rtsww Eu dHK DESCENT (101) AUG/SEPT 1991 27 BOOKING FORM 1991 Name oes: cess ge ote ge ease wo OED BCRAINGIEINOLS ... NGOTESS «co. fm 5 SHEDS EHS OOS SE Sw Bey Re ews aes Cheque/PO number enclosed to value of £ Please make cheques payable to: BCRA Conference Account ADMISSION TO CONFERENCE Individual members of BCRA Rate Number Total Saturday and Sunday £6.50 ( ) Ce ) Single day only £4.00 ( ) C= ) All others Rate Number Total Saturday and Sunday £10.00 ( ) (£ ) Single day only £5.50 ( ) (£ ) OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATION Individual members of BCRA; single night £17.00 All others; single night £18.00 Friday Saturday Total No Total Cost BCRA members ( ) ( ) ( D arent ¢ 2 ) All others ( ) ( 9 PE ), nfE ) NOTE Name and membership number of all individual members must be given for all bookings. Please supply a list of all names requiring accommodation, stating twin room if desired, continue on separate sheet if necessary. Final booking date is 13th September 1991 CLUB STANDS Name ‘of Organisationy .. . 2.6.6 6 ee ete tt ee tees All club stands are included in the judging for Best Club Stand. Each stand is an area of 2 square metres and includes table and backboard. Stands required @ £7.50 each ( ) Total (£ ) Call for speakers Like to give a talk? Then place a tick in the box [| to the right and include a brief description on an accompanying sheet. Return bookings to: Bob Picknett, 28 Potters Way, Laverstock, Wiltshire, SP1 1PX BCRA National Caving Conference Weekend of September 20th - 22nd Renold Building, Umist Manchester Do you want to learn what is going on in the caving world? Come along to the conference and hear lectures on expeditions abroad, see the latest techniques demonstrated, find out what new discoveries have taken place in Britain or catch up on the lastest gossip. All this and competitions too! New features for 91 Photo Salon There will be a photo salon this year. Categories are Portfolio, Transparency, Monochrome print, Colour print, Cave life and Fun shot. Créche A créche service will be available, but only during the day Friday night The Renold building bar will be open 8pm till 12pm on Friday evening so you can meet your friends here for a quiet drink. Conference admission tickets will also be on sale here so you can beat the Saturday morning queue. NOTICE of BCRA Annual General Meeting. This will take place at 5pm on Saturday 21st September in room C2 of the Renold Building. Admission free to members Saturday evening entertainment will consist of both a Band and a Ceilidh from 8pm until lam in The Harwood Room, along with the Renold Building bar for those wishing to conduct a quiet conversation. The conference will not be taking place im UMIST im 1992! Shis may bo tho last Manchester conference, [ov somw lime, se don't mins it. Door open 9.00am until 5.00pm both days. _ Lectures 9.30 until 4.30 Provisional Programme This is a proposed outline timetable for the conference, it only covers the _ lectures confirmed to date, and accounts for under half the available time. We will endeavour to keep as close as possible to these times, but they may have to be varied to ensure a balanced programme. So don't turn up for a lecture with minutes to spare, the time may have changed! FRIDAY EVENING 9.30 101 Ways to avoid going caving Talk and slide show by Lank Mills SATURDAY 9.30 Derbyshire Developments in Peak Cavern/Speedwell 11.00 Rumania Large format slides by Christi Lascu 11.30 Mendips Current exploration 11.30 Northern Dales Hydrology of Crack Pot - P Grant, plus update and new finds 13.30 China Behind the Bamboo Curtain including Gavin Newman's new slide sound sequence 14.00 South Wales Recent extensions - Bill Gascoine et al 16.00 Totes Gebirge Cambridge UCC - D Mace 16.00 Radon in British Caves 1991 Update - Prof J Gunn 16.00 Devon Current developments - Dr P Glanville et al 16.30 Caving Helmets Latest Test Results 16.30 Scotland Explorations and discoveries - A Jeffries et al SUNDAY 9.30 Journey Beneath the Earth Dave Gill on 20 years of expeditions 10.45 Diving in the Dales Recent extensions - J Cordingley 11.15 Yorkshire Dales New finds - Magnetometer Pot - Ringle Mill Cave - Sylvester Pot area of Easegill 11.00 Picos de Europa Oxford UCC followed by York UCC 13.30 Soviet Union Jim Birchall et al 14.00 Forest of Dean 15.30 Hensler Memorial Lecture 16.15 Photo Salon and Close Programme of events FRIDAY EVENING The Renold Building Bar will be opening 8pm until 12pm for a late pint. A humorous talk will be given by Lank Mills, other entertainment will be invited from the floor. Arrange to meet your friends for a drink before the rigours of Saturday. Final lecture programme and synopsis on display. Friday evening 9.30pm "101 Ways to avoid going caving" a Talk and slide show by Lank Mills Entertainment will be provided by you, so bring along your musical instruments/juggling clubs/equipment etc and do your party piece. Sree entrance lickols ts UY rlisnal ALASVIMANARA, . ft | SATURDAY EVENING Two rooms, one with a Ceilidh, the other a Blues/Rock Band. Move between as you please. Bar 8pm till lam. Two for the price of one! The REALY DIFFICULT CAVING QUIZ This will be run over the weekend to test your caving knowledge, your observation and your deviousness. The questions will be designed not only for the intelligent, but also the average caver. Join in and have a laugh. If you can answer the following without asking anyone else you stand a chance of winning:- 1) What is the cover price of Caves and Caving? 2) What is the diameter of Blue Water Rope? 3) What well known piece of caving equipment is depicted by the silhouette to the right? They wont be that easy on the day! 436 ee eee eee ORE SLI RE Ree TS ee et ee me ee at 210. COLLAPSE NO. KOQRFURLONG MINE, BRADWELL. Tusgday & Fohpuary 1990 The owner of a missing cat thought that it could be heard mewing from down a small cave or wine entrance that had recently appeared at the edge of a track off Granby Road, Bradwell. Two D.C.R.M. meabers and two R.S.P.C.A. inspectors attended. The cave turned out to be very short, quickly becoming too tight - even for a cat. No sign of the aniaai was found. The party then had a look down Moorfurlong Mine which was clase by, but again, there was no sign of the cat. 211. GIBNTS HOLE/OYLOW CAVERN, CASTLETON. Sunday 11 February 1990 At approy. {1.30 a well equipped and generally well experienced party from the Antares Caving Club descended Giants and went to East Canal. Qn the way back out, some of the party went up Poached Eqq Passage to look at the heginning of the Chashap af Horrors (the connecting passage through to Ovlow Cavern). One of the party went through the first duck, and after shouting back that he was through, he went on. When he had not returned after ten einutes 2 second aan went through hut found: no sign of hia» He concluded that his companion aust alsa have entered the second duck, although it appeared to he completety suaped. The party waited for sore than an hour and then decided to qo for help, leaving three of their nuaber in Poached Eqq passage in case the missing aan returned. D-C.R-Q- were alerted at 20-05 and by 21-20 the first parties were on their way underground. One (with the Holefone) went down Oxlow to rig the pitches and then go on to see if the missing man was waiting in Oxlow or at the Oxlow end of the Chamber of Horrors. The other went down Giants (covering both routes) to relieve the missing man's companions. At the same time the diving team ware called out as the information had heen confirmed by his friends that the aissing aan had effectively dived into a “sump” and it was felt (pessimistically) that they and their equipment might weil be needed. The Fire Service hreathing apparatus tender from Chestarfield later came to the scene and refilled emnty diving hottles in case they were to be needed. At 23.10 all cavers were out of Giants, hut no news had yet heen heard from the Qxlow party due to difficulties with the Molefone (partly use of the wrong aeriel underground, partly trying to transait from an unsurveyed location, and partly due to intenee wind noise on the surface aking hearing difficult). Eventnally word reached the surface by wore traditional aeans (at 23.15) that the missing aan had heen found in the Chaaher of Horrors, very cold, rather lost, minus his helmet and with very little light. Reinforcements were sent underground to wan the pitches in Qvlow and he was drought to the surface hy 00.25 an Monday aorning, waraed up and sent off home with his companions» In view of the nature of the inrident, assistance had been requected from the PeD.M.Refl. to provide a communications link hetween Riants, Ovlow, the road and the Molefane surface paint. Without those communications, controlling the incident would have bh nigh on impossible. Weather conditions during the operation ware very had with high winds (eet. at 109 aph +) and driving snow. Forty-two D.C.P.l. and siv PLN.M.R.0. wepe invalved. 212, MINECHAFT, SSEPRNWPTT, Friday 16 Fohruary 1990 4 lorry driver ctopned near Sparrawnit tn axvercis? his dons and gne of thea disanneared. He searched for it without cuccecs and when ha naturnad later in the dav tn renew the caarch he found 3 aineshaft he thought the dog aight have falien down. fin the advice nf the faraen he contacted the police who infaraed N.C.P.0, Ta men turned aut to invactiqate and using horrowed teais they aanaged to gain 2ecaes thraugh the chaft cap whereunan the don comid he coen. ; ngiv umharaed, at the hottra some 40 feet dawn. Alan Walker descended and hagged the dog which was than hauled ta tha cupfara, ONT. CAVES ete. TN STONEY MTRNLETOW DGLE APES. Saturday 1M March 1900 te part nf the recanened invectiaation inte the dicanpearence at Michael Baultan (see incident 200) the salica requested 3 romcoarch af Stoney Middleton aie, Eyam Dale and Cucklot Delf before the vegetation started to gra members coarched dl caves, aines and shafks, concentrating an those that aight not have heen visit day Boulton went micsing in May last year. At the came time P,D.,HRefl. toame ware searching the curtace of the sawe areas. Nothing was found. In addition to carrving out an underground search, D.C.P.M. was also asked to search the River Darwene hy hnat downetreaa ac fap as Chateworth. An elite O.C.P.1. naval division of five canoes was formed and the job was carried out, althongh, again, vathing was found, Snarty of !1 tease cavers sinca the 214, HEONE HILL CAVE. MALTRY. SOUTH VOPKSHTPE. Thiredav 5 April 1990 South Yorkshire nolice contacted Derhvshire Police operations ragm for D.C.R.M. assistance to investigate a cave in the sagnecian liaestone outeron in the aiddle of Malthy on the cane of a sunermarket carpark. The steel arid covering the entrance had heen reaoved and they wanted the cave checking out hefore having it resecured. They were also concerned that the cave eight be being used for qlue sniffing, and also that three micsina lads might be in there, passibly using it as 4 Sidoque. 4 D.C.P.d. cantrniler and a connie af others attended and carried out a complete search of the cave hefare tompararviv cocuring the entrance arid. 215. GIANTS HOLE, CASTLETON. Sunday 29 Apri? 1990 At about 11.30 one of a party of seven cavers descended Garlands Pot using a Petz] "Stan* device. He misjudged his descent, landed heavily and broke his left leq and dislocated his left ankle. His coapanions, aided by other cavers, got hia hack up the pitch, hut he was in considerable pain and could not he roved further without additional heln and equipment. D-C.R.O. were contacted at 12.25 and the firet aembers of Central team reached the scene at about 13.20. The casualty was axamined, given Teagesic (nain killer) and had his leq nut in an inflatable splint. He was installed in the Sked stretcher and made as comfortable ac possible for the journey out during which he was able to seif administer Entenox gas to mt relieve the pain further. This proved vary successful although hoth D.C.R.0. battles olus ene hraught in froa the aabulanc on the surface were ail uced up in the seventy ainutes it took to reach the ontrance. Tie evacuation was slow hut sheets and the Sked ance again proved itself ideal. 216. TWY GPEEN CAVE, STONEY MIMDLETOW DALE. Honday 22 May 1990 216. IVY GPEEN CAVE, STONEY ATDDLETOW DALE, || 01 tonday 28 May 1990) At ahout [5.30 a party of cavers from Chesterfield discovered a badly dacaved human hodv about 290 foat into the cave just heyond a very tight squeeze. They reported their discovery to the Police and at 17.00 O.C.R.fl. were contacted and a to bring the Andy gut. Initially 3 doctor and tua athers entered the cave and went to the scene while a second party laid 2 phone lina. The erene was then deccrihad ta detectives outside, photagranhs were taken and the area near the body was searched for any avidence ar clues as to what aight have hannened. Whan this was done the hady was placed in a casualty hag for transport tn the surface and further teas aembers went in to help. At 22.00 the body reached the cave entrance and was lowered down tho cliff faces Not unexpectedly, the hody was identified as that of Michael Boulton, the 16 year old hoy who had gone wissing froe Eyas on 7 May 1999, T.C.R.M. had beer invalved in the searches that had Followed his disappearence (reparts 200 4 213). During the firgt coapch in 1929 there had heen no evidence that Michael aight have gone caving and the search effort concentrated on searching shafts and antrances anly as far as a non caver might have fallen ar heen dragged for concealment. Eyen sa, thie effort absorhed aver S50 man hours and involved the investigation of evar 300 locations! The second re-searrch in 1990 involved detailed caarches nf al! caves and aines in Stoney Middtetan Dale etc. that aight haye attracted the interest af a curione and adventnraue youth with little or na eaninmant. Forty cCavee and mines were fully parched, but it was not thought nececcary to vigit those cayes that would have been visited hy cavere in the year since Michael] disapneared. Following this critaris [vy Green faye was nor searched, and evan with the hanefit of hindedght it ctill coome inconceivable that it was to he 2 vear hefore cavere wont far anaugh to dicroven Michagl’s remains. y GREEN CAVE, STONEY MITDLETAN DALE. Emi, { A Thurs. 7 June 1990 tt tho raquest af the nolica investigating the circumstances af Michael Anulton’s death, D.CsR.M. were asked to carry aut a thoraugh cearch of the cave for anvrhing that zrght hein tn calye the ayetery and at the same tige compile a photographic socard and curvev. The undapgranad work for thr: wae capriad aut hy saall tsaas during twa eyaniaq tring hut nothing f 2nv valavance was found, Somewhat suremisingly, so eran nt Michaelts Vight wac Snund, and it ig aast unlikely fe wauid have reno fap inta the cave withant ane. Th ig quite seeeible, of cource, that he aight haya lngt Sis light nearen to the gnepance and that it had suheaquanriv heen reaayed hy cayere who did not an far enough into the cave tn alsa find hig hady. To conqnar, at an inquest an S Mavemher 1990 -ararded a verdict of acrrdontal death. G, MINCCUSET, CIN UTIL, OF AY FOREST, Hondav 2? uly 1990 ee Mt shane $9,900 D.0.8.0. wore invitad tn ranew “Sain acaaintance with Mite and Liz Jpanaaipats tog, which had. yet again, anded up dawn a sinechaft! Mombane say recall -*st thoy had acauinad the ‘aq afte jt bad hoon neceued fram Fidan Hale + and fad Sad ty he pe attempt :* aanaqed ta stay hidden °S ##, dawn a shaft on 2 very unetahie ‘lackage of Contompan 1935 and that after a counte af dave on thain capa it had thrown itcolf down 39 ainge reecned again. During its sem acc seahicsh for ton dave until it was lorated. The chaft ton was Alocked hy cuhhich hut after a way Sad hoan cleared and made gata, ono team member deerended znd hagqed the ana whirh was then hauled rack to the curface. 219. YNATI OW CAVEPN, MNNVASH. Saturday d Auaust 199N A party of three cavers descended the climbing shaft route using a aixture of ladder znd ingle rape techniques. Two af thes descended the Waterfall Pitch hut one was unahle ta cliah hack up, oven with the sain of hie manionse DeRose wore contacted at about 18-00 and a teas attended 2nd removed the lid on the Waterfall Shatt (21M ft). The hipod was rigged and ‘one teaa meaher descended with a harnece and tho Molefone. The avhausted caver was put inty tho hapness and hauled wn ta the surface, seemingly none the worse for his ovmerience, A smail team aisa descended the climbing chaft route to deria the pitches. ae ee q g 720. LATHKILL HEAD CAVE, MONYASH. Monday 17 Senteaher 1990 Ateabout 11.30 on Sunday 16 Senteaber two well equipped and experienced cavers entered the cave and wads their wav to Puttre!l's Chamber and then heyond inte Tiger Passage. On their way back they missed the way, became disonientated and. got lost. They tried to find the way aut for some hours, and when their lights heqan to fail they wade themselves comfortable and settled down to wait. Fortunately they had space blankets and a stock of Mars bars. They were not sissed until Monday aorning and the alara was raised anly when their transnort was located still parked at the head of Lathkill Dale. D-C.R.Q. were called about 10-15 and whilst it was reasonahly certain that the missing aen had gone into Lathkill Head, parties were sent to check aut other passible caves as well. Concern was expessed that they aight have had an accident in the loose houlders at the end of Tiger IIT and with heavy rain forecast, it was iaportant to find where they were and effect their rescue as soan as possible. Thrae aan went into Lathkill Head to gn to Tiger TIT and renort hack by Molefone and it was with some relief that they found the eissing men safe and woll in Puttrell’s Chamber. After additional lighting had heen cent in for them they were able to make their own way hack to the surface where thay emerged at 13.45. 221. MINECHEFT, MASSON HILL, MATLOCY, My Tuecday 25 Sentember a young cow fell down a 25 Feet deep shaft when the around at the edge of the shaft edge qave ways and the farmer requested Fire Services assistance. The Fire Service attended, but unfortunately, they were unsuccessful in trying to make cafe a large honldap at the surface and it fell dnwn the shaft partially hlocking it about ten feet down. They cubcaquentiy shandoned their atteant to reach the heast. The following day the farmer, via the Police, requested D.C... assistance as he was concerned that the anjeal might ctill he alive and in dictroce. Three team aembarc attended and on investigating the fallen houlder thay found it was securely wedged and cond not maye or fall further. The chaft was rigged and one aeaher daccanded, squeezing past the hawider. He raached the animal and was ahle to accertain that it had died. 22. P.8 IACKPOT, CASTLETON. A party of ane experienced caver and two novices on their first trins went down the cave at about 19.00. They went just hevand the Second Pitch when one of the tua novices wished to qo out as he was cold and tired. All went weil until the First Pitch where the hy now exhausted aan was quite unable to clioh the nitch (which wae laddered and lifelined). They reriqaed the pitch out af the waterfall hut he wae stil! unabje tn aet un and so one of tha party went to the surfare for help. The police contacted MARA, at 23.15 and a team of zhont a dozon attended, The avhavetod wan and hic coanapian hath had neariy evhaucted their tights hy the time the team roarhed tham hut thay were brought to the surface hy O0.d5 without qreat difficulty - 2 faintly standard P.R Firet Pitch paccua, This »z¢ ths firct incident at which the new nolice icsua radios ware weed fom curtace rngaunication and turned aut tn he the firet incident at 9.9 whare surface communications worked fram tho road tn the cave antrancal KR RK KK RK KK KKK KEK Lt * ri BIKES INSTANT WORLDWIDE TRANSLATION SYSTEM! ie * FOR SALE: 2nd hand (but In order to avoid any linguistic difficulties as * still good) "F CELLS" experienced by some people on the French trip, here is ‘ ag aEeiIg. bestia 6 oft 4 : . n a handy cut-out-and-keep difinitive guide to the languages * at £1:50 each (£11:30 of the world. * new) Lionel CORE Sk Pease seis wee Reus Biome meee acs * ENGLISH a * NEW GREEN ONE-PIECE Hello Goodbye Please Thank you Yes No My friend will pay . * SUITS for sale. All Tae ee he cso ee ce vsicie AOC AM Me oc AMD A gM RO as ays AR Bbw ws acwnc sine co Regie Ser ale + sizes, lualips x Mare, ARABIC * £13.50. You to can Ret en caealitenes sucexween bein ede -'9 a s Se ee * look like Kermit the ARAMAIC : frog! Lionel Manak parof Cete gare lie Shenor hegalyem Aeeyo —Vodj Se nex sa I ice nen oe bs eatin baste’ fal AUSTRIAN * DRUGS! BOOZE!** Now Gruiss Gott Veeder-showen —Bittschoin _Dankeshoin Yo Ne Myfrlend do zehit * I've got your i seen eee * attention, check your BULGARIAN Blco-darya Da Ne Moyat preeate plashta * mame, adress and phone Lira al cenaetans moe salar vee * number in the last HUNGARIAN * Newsletter and if it is Yo Vissont-latashra += Kerem Kossonom (Koissoin-oim) Eegen Nem Baratom tog ‘segue : * wrong LET ME KNOW ae Waee a Leos oR ota aie sagas sgpagbes ‘ ee ene Zeta EAN * This’ will save me Ne A Tcheeboo! hal a Bevin dompeeeren: eeeeets & = es * having to put up with MALAYAN * all the usual wingeing Selamat Selamat jalan Toolong Tery-Makasey Ya Teedak Saya punya kovan bayah * and bellyaching after * I've issued the list! * Mark * * ANYBODY seen my * wellies? Mark Hee He HHA AHHH HH HHH HEH HK * * + eee WEIL'S DISEASE The netional rat population is increasing and betweet50% and 60% of rats carry and excrete the organism Leptospira ictero-haemorrhagiae in thair urine. Infection of humans with this organism causes an illness (commonly called Weil's disease) which has been known to result in death in 10% of cases. There has been a recent increase in the incidence of this disease: 32 cases were notified in 1986, 68 cases in 1987 and 133 cases in 1988. Formerly the disease occurred mainly among sewage or abbatoir workers, farm workers and miners but recent records show that the majority of deaths are now related to water activities. in 1989 there were 19 deaths and 13 of these were associated with water users. “Water users” of course includes cavers and, although there have been no deaths of cavers attributable to this disease recently, there have been a number of cases of cavers becoming infected, some of whom became very ill. ABOUT THE ILLNESS The organism enters the body through breaks in the skin such as cuts, blisters and abrasions, or via the lining of the nose, throat or alimentary tract. The incubation period is 7 - 13 days and the disease starts with a fever, muscular aches and pains, loss of appetite and vomiting with prostration. Subsequent bruising of the skin, sore eyes, nose bleeds and jaundice may occur. The fever lasts about five days and may be followed by significant deterioration. It is vital that the doctor be told that the patient may have been in contact with a source of infection. The symptoms can easily be mistaken for those of flu and, if the patient has a clean occupation, the possibility of Weil's disease may be overlooked in the early stages. Laboratory testing of blood will confirm the diagnosis but this may take undue time in an ordinary hospital lab. If Weil's disease is suspected the samples should be sent direct to: The Leptospirosis Reference Unit, Public Health Laboratory, County Hospital, HEREFORD HR1 2ER Tel: 0432 277707 where they will be tested within 24 hours. Treatment is usually by Penicillin Antibiotic. RATS AND THE ILLNESS Rats commonly live near water and in areas where there are sources of food such as animal feed, grain, or food residues from human habitation or other animals: farms, stables, high density animal husbandry units, around canteens in such places as quarries and along river and cana! banks. The leptospira organism is passed in the rats’ urine and, while it does not live long in dry conditions, can survive some time in water. Salt water soon kills off the organism but there is a significant risk in tidal waters such as the lower parts of the Wye in the Forest of Dean and other rivers. The riskincreases upstream andis greatest in canals, ponds or areas of slowly draining water; thus there is a significant risk in caves carrying drainage from farm land, stables or quarries. PREVENTION Cavers on Mendip and in the Stoney Middleton areaare known to have contracted the disease. Others have suffered a mild dose which was not diagnosed at the time, but which has been detected in subsequent blood tests. Any skin wound or blister, old or new, may be infected if immersed in water polluted by the organism. By the nature of their sport it is difficult for cavers to avoid cuts and abrasions on their hands, particularly when “digging.” Wearing gloves probably provides the most effective protection since waterproof surgical plasters on their own are unlikely to stay in place. Clean, fresh water should be used to wash wounds as soon as possible. BE AWARE The disease is curable if recognisedin time, but many doctors in urban areas will never have encountered it. If you have any reason to sus- pect that you may have been infected, you may need to draw your doctor's attention to the possibility that the symptoms could be Weil's Disease. THE SYMPTOMS The incubation period is 7-13 days. Early Symptoms are: Fever Muscular aches and pains Loss of appetite Vomiting with prostration later symptoins may include: Bruising of the skin Sore eyes Nose bleeds Jaundice The fever lasts for about five days, and may be followed by significant deterioration. Testing fer the disease If Weil's Disease is suspected, the samples should be sent direct to: The Leptospirosis Reference Unit Public Health Laboratory County Hospital Hereford HR1 2ER Tel: 0432 277707 CAVER TRAINING There is to be a DCA/NCA Caver Training Workshop organised Expedition Planning (Saturday only) for the weekend of 12th & 13th October 1991 at the Topics offered Technical Sessions are run by Nigel Atkins, Dave Baines, Nigel Ball and Paul Ramsden. Each session costs £10 per Whitehall Centre, Long Hill, Buxton. include: day (£8 to BCRA members or members of member clubs). Ladder & Lifeline SRT To register for a course, send a check payable to SRT Rescue Derbyshire Caving Association plus a SAE to Nigel Atkins, Cave Leadership DCA Training Officer, 51 Darklands Rd, Swadlincote, S Cave Photography (Sunday only) Derbs DE11 OPG (Tel: 0283 216507).