Ward Remains ‘Just Alive’

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30200, 3 August 1963, Page 11

Ward Remains ‘Just Alive’

(N Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

LONDON, August 2.

Stephen Ward was still critically ill in a deep coma this morning, more than 48 hours after his admission to hospital suffering from an overdose of drugs.

The 50-year-old osteopath was “just alive” breathing with the aid of an electronic lung, a hospital spokesman said.

Since he was taken to hospital on Wednesday morning, Ward has not regained consciousness and has been grievously ill in a deep coma with barbiturate poisoning. He is now said to be suffering from bronchial pneumonia.

Ward, who had a tracheotomy operation yesterday to insert another tube in his windpipe, is being drip-fed with glucose. Twice in the space of 15 minutes yesterday Ward's heart stopped beating, calling for full emergency measures He is still unaware that an Old Bailey jury found him guilty on Wednesday of living on the immoral earnings of Christine Keeler and Marilyn Rice-Davies. Great efforts have been made to keep him alive. "I don’t know bow anyone can live under these conditions. I just don't know. He has not stirred.” the secretary of the hospital committee, Mr Mayne Butcher, said. “He is very critically ill.” Mr Butcher said. “I would say that we can conclude that anxiety increases as he remains in this deep coma." Asked if it was a bad thing that Ward's condition remained unchanged, the secretary said: “I think we conclude that. The doctor has reported nothing unusual, nothing to add to what has happened, so far as the patient himself is concerned, to what we said yesterday. He is still breathing with the apparatus we were using then."

Asked if it was true that the longer Ward remained in a coma the greater the possibility of damage being sustained, the secretary said: “I would not like to comment on that.” He did not think any new form of treatment had been used.

The secretary said there had been contact with Ward’s relatives. His brother came to see him last night. He was said to have been w th him "a very considerable time ”

The secretary said it was impossible to say if all traces of the drug had been removed.

The hospital reported today that many sympathetic telephone calls had been received and yesterday a large bouquet 'was delivered. Ward was found unconscious, on the last day of his trial, by Mr Noel Howard Jones, with whom he had been staying in Chelsea.