MID-OCEAN OPERATION

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 130, 1 March 1928, Page 3

MID-OCEAN OPERATION

SHIP’S RACE TO SAVE LIFE On. tbe Ruapehu’s voyage from England, which ended yesterday, a life mid death, drama was witnessed by the passengers. About nine days after leaving Panama, a wireless message was received from the Westmoreland to the effect that one of the cadets was dangerously ill with appendicitis. In addition, the doctor on board tbe Westmoreland was ill himself, and unable tdouc to perform the very necessary operation At once the captain of the Ruapehu put his helm hard over, and went back at full speed for eight hours to meet the Westmoreland. Unfortunately, the .ship’s doctor on board the Ruapehu bad sprained bis ankle, and so was unable to perform the operation. The captain of the Ruapehu asked for a volunteer, and Mr. Frank Hudson, F.R.C.S.,- England, at considerable risk, embarked in a boat lowered from the Westmoreland, and brought alongside the Ruapehu by six cadets, and was taken back by them to Hie sick man. In the captain’s bathroom on board the Westmoreland, an operation was performed under very difficult conditions in a ship tossing up ami down in inid-Pacific. The operation was entirely successful, and the surgeon remaned on board for two days with the sick cadet before returning to his own ship. Before the Westmoreland arrived ut Auckland, the patient was well on the road to recovery. Mr. Hudson is a native of New Zealand, who has been engaged in hospital work in London for some time. He married an English lady, and was on his way back to his home in Nelson when the call came for his services in mid-Pacific.