Young man seriously gored while running with bulls in Spain
Date
February 16, 2015
Canberra Times
No escape: Benjamin Miller is caught by the bull.
A young man has been gored by a large fighting bull in what a world-renowned Spanish surgeon says is the biggest goring wound he has ever operated on.
Benjamin Miller, 20, from Georgia in the US, is recovering in the intensive-care unit of a hospital in western Salamanca after being severely injured during a bullfighting festival in Ciudad Rodrigo.
Surgeon Enrique Crespo was called to operate on Mr Miller, who was injured on Saturday, the first day of the "Carnaval del Toro".
Tossed: Benjamin Miller is caught by the bull and flung through the air.
"It's not the worst injury I've seen, but it's the biggest goring wound I've ever had to operate on," Dr Crespo said.
Mr Miller underwent a three-hour operation to repair damage to his thighs, sphincter and back muscles, Dr Crespo said.
Town councillor Pedro Munoz said two other unidentified men had sustained less serious goring injuries.
Down: Benjamin Miller on the ground as a futile attempt is made to pull the bull away.
"One man from Scotland and a Spaniard from Salamanca were also injured," Mr Munoz said.
Fiestas featuring bulls are common in Spain, and critics and aficionados alike agree that the events, which attract international audiences, are dangerous.
"Dr Crespo is a world-renowned expert and we have a medically equipped helicopter on standby every day of our annual fiesta," Mr Munoz said.
He said between 45,000 and 50,000 people had been attracted over the weekend to this year's four-day fiesta, which includes afternoon bullfights and bull-running events.
Ciudad Rodrigo - population 14,000 - is a small cathedral city close to the Portuguese border that is a popular tourist destination.
It retains its ancient defensive walls and was the site of key battles between Napoleon's army and British forces under the command of the Duke of Wellington from 1810 to 1812.