ILLNESS ON PLANE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22513, 17 December 1947, Page 8

ILLNESS ON PLANE

MORPHIA GIVEN LORD HINCHINBROOKE AMBULANCE AT AIRPORT (P.A.) AUCKLAND, Dec. 16. The medical officer at Whenuapai airport and a St. John ambulance awaited the arrival at 1 o’clock this morning of a British Pacific airliner from America as one of its passengers,' Viscount Hinchinbrooke. a British member of Parliament, was seriously ill.

Viscount Hinchinbrooke. who is making a world tour to study industrial conditions, became ill on the flight from Nandi, Fiji, last night and a message was received to have an ambulance ready at the airport to take him to Auckland Hospital.

Viscount Hinchinbrooke became ill shortly after leaving Nandi at 6.30 p.m. New Zealand time. He was in considerable pain during the journey and two hours before reaching Auckland he was given an injection of morphia by one of the air hostesses aboard the aircraft under supervision of a Christchurch surgeon. Mr. J. Leslie Will, who was returning from a visit to the United States.

Both hostesses in the plane are qualified nurses and morphia is included in the aircraft's medical kit. After an examination by the station medical officer, Squadron Leader G. Levy, Viscount Hinchinbrooke was taken to the Auckland Hospital suffering from internal trouble. His condition was described this morning, as ’’satisfactory.”

The aircraft which carried Viscount Hinchinbrooke originally was to have arrived at Whenuapai at 6.30 this morning. It left Vancouver on Saturday. It was decided ta leave Nandi on the last stage of the flight ahead of the scheduled time because of a report that the weather over the Pacific was deteriorating.

There were 36 passengers in the plane. Their early morning arrival made civil aviation history in New Zealand. Complete arrangements were made last night for the reception of passengers and their accommodation in the city.

A later message states that Viscount Hinchinbrooke will be able to receive visitors in a few days.