Graham. wrote:

In 1981 when I was admitted to hospital with head injuries, the
student nurse would dutifully wake me every four hours and test my
pupil reflexes with a pen torch with a battery that could barely
sustain the dullest orange glow from the filament.

Mum ended-up in hospital recently and needed a ring cutting off, the
cutter was powered by 4xAA that were flat it stalled every time it
touched the ring, a second battery pack was also flat, I offered to go
and buy some from the WH Smiths in the foyer ...