The problem with drunk tanks is occasionally someone gets put in them who has hypoglycaemia or a subdural haematoma; it can be hard to tell the difference, especially when half a bottle of vodka means you're more likely to fall over and hit your head, or as a diabetic to go hypo. Extreme? It's been known to happen. Speaking from the perspective of an A&E SHO, much as we get fed up with the frequent flyers, none of us are quite hardened to the point where we actually want them to die. Well, maybe one or two of us are, but the prospect of a trip to the Coroner's Court/Fatal Accident Inquiry is a wee bit intimidating. I think we're stuck sobering them up, sticking them back together again, filling them up with vitamins and letting them go to live their life their own way. I don't know how they can bear the cycle of drink, fall over, up to hospital in the ambulance, hang around A&E for hours, wander out, drink again, etc etc, but I'm not a chaotic alcoholic.