Evacuated Antarctican Scientist - Any News?

I am very sure that loads of you heard about this story, where a scientist working at the McMurdo base in Antarctica had to be evacuated in the middle of the Antarctican winter due to some type of illness. OK, everyone gets ill, that's part of life, but what struck me as particularly odd about this case was the fact that A) they refused to disclose details of the illness due to security issues and B) it was mentioned that the person in question may need immediate reconstructive surgery?

What the hell!! what type of illness requires immediate reconstructive surgery? What was this person working on at the time?

I know that this is going to sound completely off the wall and delving into the realms of science fiction, but are they working on some kind of teleportation device? That might explain the immediate reconstructive surgery.

So has anyone heard anymore about this person, or has it been quietly buried?

Why would that be considered an illness more so than frostbite? Or any kind of other injury. And why would Antarctica be a good place to teleport?

I've heard lead poisoning can be very hard on physical structure. Especially at 1,000+ FPS. I'm not saying I know anything, because I don't...but the combination of Security, Illness and Reconstruction is an interesting combination.

reply to post by 4chi11e


I agree that the teleportation issue is probably extremely unlikely, but why wont they say what the illness is? If its frostbite, then say so. Why be so secretive about it, that's my point.

reply to post by fossy


Its private info. Its called doctor/patient confidentiality. You do not hear about every joe or jane that has cancer/ aids/ or the flu do you?

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


Thank you, that was the point I was trying to get across. Normally I would watch these type of stories and then move on, but this one caught my attention more than normal.

The scientist has been evacuated, but has anyone heard anymore about it since?

Originally posted by btayl26
reply to post by fossy

 

Its private info. Its called doctor/patient confidentiality. You do not hear about every joe or jane that has cancer/ aids/ or the flu do you?

Actually, I would be curious in knowing by who picked up the tab. That kind of Medical evacuation isn't gonna be on most people's medical insurance.

I'm wondering, since that is a U.S. Government facility at McMurdo, if that was U.S. Tax Dollars that paid... If so, I do think we have the right to know. Just my thoughts...

reply to post by btayl26


Hmmn thats true I suppose, hadn't thought about that one. It was the needing immediate reconstructive surgery that caught my attention. Sounded pretty nasty.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


I am curious also, but it could be a number of things that are not unusual. I am no expert on cold weather so I know nothing of cold weather illnesses. I just know that if my friends where covering my medical bills, then they still would not be able to see my charts or know much info without my or my families consent.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


Thanks dude, now someone else is starting to think about this one a bit. It must have been an extreme case for them to evac during the winter there, that apparently is almost unheard of.

reply to post by btayl26


I totally agree that medical history should and does remain private, but it would be nice to know that the person is ok and recovering well, don't you think. There has been no news about that side of things.

Originally posted by Wrabbit2000
Actually, I would be curious in knowing by who picked up the tab. That kind of Medical evacuation isn't gonna be on most people's medical insurance.

I'm wondering, since that is a U.S. Government facility at McMurdo, if that was U.S. Tax Dollars that paid... If so, I do think we have the right to know. Just my thoughts...

Australia picked up the tab -
www.smh.com.au...


So you think you have the right to know every soldiers medical condition, as the government picks up the tab for them....

they are not usually that secretive about medical condition...remember that lady doc (Jerri Nielson) that did surgery on herself/ (she removed a lump in her breast I think).

why are they being mysterious about this most recent case? the station medical facility is like an urgent care clinic, the guy needed more serious treatment then that

is this the case?? www.nsf.gov... he ended up in a hospital in christchurch new zealand

another person left at the same time for compelling personal reasons

the last time this happened in October 2011, when a US scientist was airlifted from McMurdo after suffering a stroke at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station.

In 1961, a young 27-year-old Russian doctor, Leonid Rogozov, was forced to operate on himself while trapped in the Antarctic winter, unable to evacuate. He successfully removed his own infected appendix, assisted by fellow crew members. His appendix had ripened and become as rotten and vile as a piece of fallen fruit. There was no other choice but to operate or die of abdominal perforation leading to peritonitis.

reply to post by research100


Curiouser and Curiouser, don't you think folks.

reply to post by research100


The are for sure flesh eating zombies now. That is the only reason they did not reveal private information. Would you like it if you insurance company told everyone that you had erectile dysfunction and needed meds? I am sure that will be paid for by tax dollars at some point or maybe already is. I do not know.

reply to post by fossy


Whats up with all of the new posters on this thread?

reply to post by WiindWalker


Is being a new poster a bad thing? More opinions brings more ideas and info. Everyone is a new poster at some point.

Liquid Nitrogen spill
Various Acids spill
Extreme Frostbite
Fungal Infections

There are so many dangers when working for a gov't agency, never mind in Antarctica.
Any scientists volunteering for Antarctica duty must already be a super man, so it must have been really serious.

I know... thank you Captain Obvious.
Just my 2 pennies.

Maybe they were messing with the sample taken from Lake Vostok? Apparently there is 40 liters somewhere. www.dailymail.co.uk...

I know that Australia was sent in to rescue the man.

I know that Australia has to foot the entire bill of rescuing the man.