La. looks into 215 Katrina deaths

[sabra]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/lalooksinto215katrinadeaths

La. looks into 215 Katrina deaths

A state investigation into whether critically ill patients were left to die or were euthanized at a New Orleans hospital during the chaotic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina is part of a probe into an estimated 215 deaths at nursing homes and hospitals across the area, according to the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals.

The Louisiana attorney general's office, which is overseeing the inquiry, has launched a "monumental investigation" that is examining what happened to patients and residents at 19 hospitals and nursing homes, spokeswoman Kris Wartelle said. The scope of the probe - which now includes 21% of the 1,035 Louisiana deaths linked to the Aug. 29 hurricane - came to light after a doctor at New Orleans' Memorial Medical Center alleged that some of the 45 patients who died there might have been euthanized to end their suffering.

The doctor, Bryant King, told CNN last week that he had heard discussions among Memorial's staff members about euthanizing some critically ill patients after power went out and conditions deteriorated in the hospital. King, who could not be reached for comment, told CNN that he saw one doctor with a handful of syringes. But King said that he was not sure what was in them and that he did not see any Memorial staff member inject a patient with them.

Wartelle said investigators examining whether there were illegal "mercy killings" at New Orleans hospitals also are reviewing New Orleans' Lindy Boggs Medical Center, where 19 people died after the storm.

[daleo]

1. "1,035 Louisiana deaths linked to the Aug. 29 hurricane"

I wonder how this phrase is being interpreted operationally. It could be interpreted widely (e.g. a heart attack that occurred during the hurricane or its aftermath) or narrowly (you had to be killed directly by the hurricane).

Probably somewhere between these extremes, but closer to the latter than the former.

[merwin]

2. I'm putting my money on them using a very narrow definition.

Unless somehow a very disproportionate number of people decided to die of natural causes during that week or so