KIE: The California Court of Appeal ruled that a patient in a public hospital was entitled to a peremptory writ of mandamus requiring removal of a nasogastric tube which was inserted and maintained against her will and without her consent by physicians who sought to keep her alive through force feeding. The patient, Elizabeth Bouvia, is a 28-year-old quadriplegic afflicted with severe cerebral palsy. In reaching its decision, the court recognized that a patient who is mentally competent and understands the risks involved has a right to refuse treatment, and that the state's interest in preserving life does not outweigh this right.