IN a recent episode of the BBC TV series George Gently, Martin Shaw was required to endure a lumbar puncture. The doctor said this was rather an uncomfortable procedure. I can confirm that this is an understatement.

In the late 1940s, I spent a prolonged period in hospital and one afternoon a nurse with known sadistic tendencies wheeled a trolley up to my bed.

“Victor,” she said, “the doctor's coming to see you and if you’re a good boy he’ll give you a sweet when he’s finished.”

Immediately I was on the alert, we were not often promised sweets, especially from this nurse, who had a penchant for throwing needles into bottoms.

My misgivings were justified, it was a lumbar puncture the most painful procedure I’ve ever experienced, rather like having a rusty nail driven into the base of the spine repeatedly.

Still I have a lot to be grateful for, this was the early NHS and all these people pulled together to make me well, a young boy from a poor family.

A decade before I’d certainly have died.

V J Connor, Bishop Auckland.