Comedian John Tothill has shared his harrowing yet enlightening experience of contracting malaria during a drug trial, a decision he made to finance his performances at the Edinburgh Fringe. Drug trials for malaria can be lucrative, with some participants earning up to £9,100, according to an advert on the Oxford Vaccine Group website. However, Tothill’s journey was far from what he had anticipated.
In an op-ed for The Times, Tothill, 27, recounted how, two years ago, he stumbled upon the medical trial while seeking funds for his upcoming Edinburgh Fringe show, “Thank God this Lasts Forever.” Realizing that living in Edinburgh for a month could cost around £9,000, he decided to participate in the trial. Although his high white blood cell count disqualified him from FluCamp, he was eligible for more rigorous trials, including a “malaria camp.”
The plan was straightforward: Tothill would contract malaria, his parasite count would reach 500 parasites per milliliter of blood, he would take a few tablets, recover fully, and leave the trial a wealthier man. However, things took a drastic turn. After two weeks of feeling fine and having a zero parasite count, he suddenly fell very ill on the 14th day of the trial.
“The clinicians took my bloods and revealed to me, half nervously and half delightedly, that my malaria count was 28,000,” Tothill wrote. “‘You’ll be fine,’ the doctor smiled. ‘But you’re going to feel pretty awful.’”
“Pretty awful” was an understatement. Tothill described suffering from “the Genghis Khan of fevers,” experiencing bizarre nightmares that morphed into waking hallucinations. As a Catholic, his hallucinations often involved being dragged into hell by the devil, a punishment for making such a Faustian bargain. The only times he sat up were to take his medication, which he washed down with Coca-Cola in his hospital bed. Despite the sharp, stabbing pains in his joints, he found some solace in knowing exactly what was wrong with him and that it had been his choice—a peculiar way to experience disease.
Fortunately, within five days of treatment, Tothill began to feel much better. Reflecting on his ordeal, he mused, “Where would scientists be without underemployed creatives?” He acknowledged the privilege of playing a small part in the development of new treatments for a disease that may have killed half of all human beings who have ever lived. More importantly, he felt it was a privilege for the scientists to help him bring his stand-up show to the Edinburgh Fringe.
Tothill will perform “Thank God this Lasts Forever” at the Edinburgh Fringe from 31 July to 25 August at the Pleasance Theatre.
Source: The Times
