TASMAN GLACIER TRAGEDY.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19971, 4 July 1930, Page 13

TASMAN GLACIER TRAGEDY.

DEATH BY LIGHTNING DOUBTED. STATEMENT by timaru doctor (SPXOUXi *0 YKB f*SSS.) TIMARTJ, July 8. Inter viewed by a representative of The Press, in reference to Mr Guy E. Mannering's theory that the death of Acting-Guide Blomfield and the four women on the Tasman Glacier on January 19th last was caused primarily by a discharge of lightning and not by exposure, Dr. C. Stanley Fraser, who conducted the post-mortem examination of the victims at the Hermitage, strongly refuted Mr Mannering'g theory. "Mr Mannering's theory," he Mid, "does not alter in any way the actual facts as they were disclosed on an examination of the bodies. Mr Mannering, although noted as an alpine climber, is taking a big responsibility on himself to say that the verdict of death * by exposure is wrong. I quote from Taylor's Medical Jurisprudence: 'ln symptoms of death from cold, sensibility is lost and a state of torpor ensues, followed by profound Bleep, front whieh the person cannot be readily aroused. In • this state of lethargy the vital functions - gradually cease, aid the pewon finally perishes. . . . Cold, when accompanied by rain and sleet, appears ,to have a more powerfully depressing influence than when the air is dry.' "Taylor goes on to eay that on the discovery of a dead bodj; it is a tank of some difficulty to come to a decision whether death has taken place from cold or not. The season of the year, the place and circumstances undgjr which tho body was found, together with the absence of all other possible causes of death, form the only basis for a. saf® medical opinion, and he describes tie characteristic appearances of a Uody met with in death frow cold. TSero characteristics were found on &l} the bodies of the victims of the Tasmftn Glacier tragedy. "Mr Mannering states that extra clothing was there to put on, bat *ll authorities are unanimous in saying that the first onset of c{ild attacking an individual is a general mnfclniSss and weariness, with drowsiness of an intense nature, and unless help is near, or the individual can make violent, elforts to keep awake, he sinks into a lethargic 6leep. Under the above circumstances it is not to be wondered at that the party, when attacked by such a fierce, wet blizzard, were tillable to withstand the effects Of the cold sufficiently long to don their extra clothing. "Because such a happening ban server been known before,'* continued the doctor, "is no reason why the vnrdiet should be doubted. The lightning theory is attractive, and much weight, would be given to that theoiy had all the bodies been huddled tosether. lfr'tti if it was only (as suggested by an "un- _ named medical practitioner) that the * lightning produced a state: of - shock, then , the remains the same, .because before the. shock passed off the cold had attacked the party,, due *te their inadequate clothing, and they .died from the effects of the co)d and the ex- , posure. The lightning shock theory .ot the medical practitioner is not borne out by the facts. If such were the case. Blomfield's and the girls' watches would have been fused. ■, *■' "Further, in' Mr Mannering's statement he admits that the TMtaUf were not fused, Mr Hatiaerlnf ' suggests that the watches. on the girls went on for six to seven hottrs later. With a lightning stroke: so vwii - to, the party, purely one.of the.jfeSiaF watches wonld have been affected and fused, or the meta! brooch that one/of ■ the girls was wearing would have jbttta affected. "For the benefit of the Qhrittchni&t 1 doctor, I may state that I tooknp wstft me to the Hermitage text-bo«j3f atrtfewjties in medical jurisprudence, and in thfl ghastly sad conditions present at Hermitage from 7 a.m. on Wednesday ; morning till midday, when the bodies. were, brought in, there was more than ample time for calm and scientincitonsideration of the circumstances. There was certainly no hurry or excitetnent to v , distract one's attention from one'a duty. "Theorising is all very well in its place," concluded Dr. Fraser. "All of the staff at the Ball hut were of the opinion that it was an intense,' violent, wet blizzard which struck the- party la , 1 an exposed place. Considering theinadequate, not 1 to say scanty, clothing-qf some of the members of the party, com. bined with the post-mojrtem appearances of the bodies, the facts bore oot the verdict of death from exposure."'' .