The California Historical Resources Commission claims items left on the moon's surface are their property.
In total it seems that 106 items were left behind by Apollo 11 astronauts, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, in an effort to lighten the load for their slingshot ride back to earth; the rock and soil samples collected during their historic "moonwalk" would max-out the craft's weight capacity once Earth's gravity took over.
Among the discarded objects were tools, boots, tv cables, a flag, bags of food, and bags of human waste. Other items of historical value remaining on the moon's surface include memorials to astronauts and cosmonauts who died during the exploration of space. These are very important historical artifacts and they must be protected.
In the interest of preserving history, the Commission would also like to declare the removal of such items illegal...fearing that future adventurers may be tempted to sell these priceless artifiacts for large sums on ebay.
International treaty states that "no one can lay claim to the moon;" there is no stipulation for the protection of any objects lying on the moon's surface, however.
Several other states are soon expected to make claims for their property as well; although California had a huge impact on the 1969 mission, not all the 106 items belong to them.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Scotland's Police Beleived in Nessie
Documents have recently emerged showing that in the 1930's Scotland Police officials requested that British Parliament research the existence of the Loch Ness Monster. Should it's existence be verified, the police would then allocate manpower for the purpose of protecting its national treasure from hunters.
Parliament refused, however, stating that it did not wish to be responsible for killing "the myth" if no evidence turned up.
Although not verbatem, this information was derived from a story reported online.
Parliament refused, however, stating that it did not wish to be responsible for killing "the myth" if no evidence turned up.
Although not verbatem, this information was derived from a story reported online.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Villain or Victim?: The case of Typhoid Mary
"Mary Mallon was the first perfectly healthy person ever known to have caused an epidemic."
Okay, I have to start off by asking you a rather personal question...prepare yourself. "Do you wash you hands after going potty?" If so, good on ya. If not, you're following in the footsteps of one of the most notorious, yet debatedly unpremeditated (and unhygienic), murderers of all time!
Now, I'm not your mother...so I'm not going to lecture you on the importance of good hygiene (you should know better). But let me say this...studies have shown that, without vigorous hand washing, microscopic fecal matter can travel on your hands and then spread to whatever you touch. This includes food and water! Hence, the unfortunate deaths following in the wake of "Typhoid Mary."
About "Typhoid Mary":
Born: 23 September 1869
Died: 11 November 1938
Number of people she infected: 53
Number of resulting deaths: 3
Historians are not certain exactly how Mary became a "healthy" carrier of typhoid fever. There are two possible explanations: the first is for her to have caught the illness, survived it, and then instead of the bacteria dying... it found a way to survive inside her body without causing further symptoms. Mary reportedly denies ever falling ill with typhoid, but it is possible that she could have misidentified a mild case of it as the flu. The second scenario could be that her mother passed the bacteria on to her while still in the womb. It has been verified that Mary's mother was infected with the disease at the time of her birth.
Villain or victim?:
As an immigrant of Irish decent, Mary had few career choices. Prejudice made a life of domestic servitude a near certainty, and a decent days wages equalled no more than a few copper coins (pennies) in those days. On the higher paying end of available employment was that of cook. Mary discovered she had a talent for cooking, so naturally cooking became her occupation of choice.
Her first job as cook was at a home in Mamaroneck, New York in 1900. Mary left after only two weeks of service, but not before the house's residents caught the fever. Mary continued to move from household to household leaving a muriad of sick people behind her...the entire time believing she had nothing to do with the illnesses. It wasn't until epidemic researcher George Soper's involvement did Mary's condition become known.
Desperate for answers one of Mary's former employer's hired Soper to discover the source of his family's illnesses. It didn't take long for Soper to name Mary as the prime suspect. After further investigation, he also found that a trail of illnesses followed Mary wherever she went, thus strengthening his theory. But the only way to be absolutely sure she was a carrier of typhoid was to obtain a fecal sample (because the illness is transmitted by ingesting bacteria contaminated by fecal matter). He did not look forward to what he knew he had to do next.
When confronted, a rather upset and probably offended Mary refused to oblige his request; infact Soper narrowly escaped a vicious stabbing by kitchen fork. Soon after, Soper returned with backup, but again Mary proved to be more than their match. After one too many rather nasty visitations and feeling he had no other choice, Soper relinquished the case to city health officials who then continued the persuit.
The next meeting with Mary was no less dramatic. This time a group headed by health official Dr. Josephine Baker braved the lioness's den. Yet again, Mary was defiant. She led them on a wild goose chase and when finally re-discovered in a broom closet, she came out fighting like a tazmanian devil. Knowing that the evidence was too great to take a chance in leaving Mary continued access to the public, Dr. Baker felt she had no alternative but to take Mary to a local hospital by force (actually sitting on Mary in the car).
Samples were then obtained and the long awaited results came back just as Soper had predicted...positive for typhoid bacilli. Without a trial and against her wishes, Mary was immediately transferred to a quarantine facility on North Brother Island off the coast of New York.
Like most uneducated people at the time, Mary could not comprehend how she, a perfectly healthy individual, could spread disease. (Although the microscope had theoretically existed for some time, the science of microbiology was new and it's concept reserved for the wealthy.) It is not clear just how much information was offerred to her...but on the same note there was no precedent for her condition.
Since Mary was the first healthy carrier of typhoid ever to be discovered, offering her an explanation would have been difficult. Either way the division between upper and lower class (health officials vs. Irish immigrant) may have prevented her the courtesy...and it was surely a factor in the way she was treated. (Generally the upper class felt no obligation in using tact when dealing with lower class individuals such as Mary.)
Mary beleived she was being unjustly punished for a crime she did not commit. She vehemently denied every accusation aimed at her and, in an effort to gain evidence in her favor, she sent her own samples to a private lab. Although the hospital on Brother Island's results came back mostly positive for typhoid over the course of a year, Mary's private lab results were routinely negative. Feeling healthy and armed with this new ammunition, Mary now appealed to a court of law. Mary sued the NY health department, but the judge ruled against her.
In 1910, however, a new health commissioner came to office and made a deal with Mary. He set her free on the condition that she never cook for others again and that she take adequate precautions to avoid speading the illness further. Mary jumped at this new chance for freedom.
Finding a job that paid as well as "cook" proved difficult. She found work as a launderess, among other things, and had manage to keep her promise...for a time. But after a new epidemic broken out, the source was traced back to Mary yet again. She returned to cooking, but used the alias Mary Brown. News of her latest offense spread like wildfire and public sympathy all but dissappeared.
Mary had previously been made aware of her carrier status, and although she still didn't beleive it, she risked the lives of to many people. Inevitably, she was forced to return to isolation back back on North Brother Island...this time for good.
As time went on Mary volunteered around the island's hospital and eventually also helped out in the lab. She sufferred a stroke in 1932 which sadly left her paralized until her eventual death in 1938; she died of pneumonia.
Controversy:
Many people feel it was wrong for state and/or government officials to lock away a perfectly healthy person in isolation for a crime in which they have no control. But public opinion changed when Mary was caught the second time using the alias Molly Brown. Now speculation was that she caused the illnesses deliberately (perhaps her way of getting back at the upper class for her mistreatment).
There is no question that Mary's case was extreme. It's moral dilemma's lead to the revamping of our nation's public health policies, and caused state and government officials to rethink laws concerning personal vs. societal rights.
She was never charged with a crime.
Note: There were several other people found to have been "healthy" carriers of the fever soon after Mary...some causing even more deaths. Yet they were not handled with such severity. Mary's case stands out because it was the first of its kind, because of the way she fought authorities.
Okay, I have to start off by asking you a rather personal question...prepare yourself. "Do you wash you hands after going potty?" If so, good on ya. If not, you're following in the footsteps of one of the most notorious, yet debatedly unpremeditated (and unhygienic), murderers of all time!
Now, I'm not your mother...so I'm not going to lecture you on the importance of good hygiene (you should know better). But let me say this...studies have shown that, without vigorous hand washing, microscopic fecal matter can travel on your hands and then spread to whatever you touch. This includes food and water! Hence, the unfortunate deaths following in the wake of "Typhoid Mary."
About "Typhoid Mary":
Born: 23 September 1869
Died: 11 November 1938
Number of people she infected: 53
Number of resulting deaths: 3
Historians are not certain exactly how Mary became a "healthy" carrier of typhoid fever. There are two possible explanations: the first is for her to have caught the illness, survived it, and then instead of the bacteria dying... it found a way to survive inside her body without causing further symptoms. Mary reportedly denies ever falling ill with typhoid, but it is possible that she could have misidentified a mild case of it as the flu. The second scenario could be that her mother passed the bacteria on to her while still in the womb. It has been verified that Mary's mother was infected with the disease at the time of her birth.
Villain or victim?:
As an immigrant of Irish decent, Mary had few career choices. Prejudice made a life of domestic servitude a near certainty, and a decent days wages equalled no more than a few copper coins (pennies) in those days. On the higher paying end of available employment was that of cook. Mary discovered she had a talent for cooking, so naturally cooking became her occupation of choice.
Her first job as cook was at a home in Mamaroneck, New York in 1900. Mary left after only two weeks of service, but not before the house's residents caught the fever. Mary continued to move from household to household leaving a muriad of sick people behind her...the entire time believing she had nothing to do with the illnesses. It wasn't until epidemic researcher George Soper's involvement did Mary's condition become known.
Desperate for answers one of Mary's former employer's hired Soper to discover the source of his family's illnesses. It didn't take long for Soper to name Mary as the prime suspect. After further investigation, he also found that a trail of illnesses followed Mary wherever she went, thus strengthening his theory. But the only way to be absolutely sure she was a carrier of typhoid was to obtain a fecal sample (because the illness is transmitted by ingesting bacteria contaminated by fecal matter). He did not look forward to what he knew he had to do next.
When confronted, a rather upset and probably offended Mary refused to oblige his request; infact Soper narrowly escaped a vicious stabbing by kitchen fork. Soon after, Soper returned with backup, but again Mary proved to be more than their match. After one too many rather nasty visitations and feeling he had no other choice, Soper relinquished the case to city health officials who then continued the persuit.
The next meeting with Mary was no less dramatic. This time a group headed by health official Dr. Josephine Baker braved the lioness's den. Yet again, Mary was defiant. She led them on a wild goose chase and when finally re-discovered in a broom closet, she came out fighting like a tazmanian devil. Knowing that the evidence was too great to take a chance in leaving Mary continued access to the public, Dr. Baker felt she had no alternative but to take Mary to a local hospital by force (actually sitting on Mary in the car).
Samples were then obtained and the long awaited results came back just as Soper had predicted...positive for typhoid bacilli. Without a trial and against her wishes, Mary was immediately transferred to a quarantine facility on North Brother Island off the coast of New York.
Like most uneducated people at the time, Mary could not comprehend how she, a perfectly healthy individual, could spread disease. (Although the microscope had theoretically existed for some time, the science of microbiology was new and it's concept reserved for the wealthy.) It is not clear just how much information was offerred to her...but on the same note there was no precedent for her condition.
Since Mary was the first healthy carrier of typhoid ever to be discovered, offering her an explanation would have been difficult. Either way the division between upper and lower class (health officials vs. Irish immigrant) may have prevented her the courtesy...and it was surely a factor in the way she was treated. (Generally the upper class felt no obligation in using tact when dealing with lower class individuals such as Mary.)
Mary beleived she was being unjustly punished for a crime she did not commit. She vehemently denied every accusation aimed at her and, in an effort to gain evidence in her favor, she sent her own samples to a private lab. Although the hospital on Brother Island's results came back mostly positive for typhoid over the course of a year, Mary's private lab results were routinely negative. Feeling healthy and armed with this new ammunition, Mary now appealed to a court of law. Mary sued the NY health department, but the judge ruled against her.
In 1910, however, a new health commissioner came to office and made a deal with Mary. He set her free on the condition that she never cook for others again and that she take adequate precautions to avoid speading the illness further. Mary jumped at this new chance for freedom.
Finding a job that paid as well as "cook" proved difficult. She found work as a launderess, among other things, and had manage to keep her promise...for a time. But after a new epidemic broken out, the source was traced back to Mary yet again. She returned to cooking, but used the alias Mary Brown. News of her latest offense spread like wildfire and public sympathy all but dissappeared.
Mary had previously been made aware of her carrier status, and although she still didn't beleive it, she risked the lives of to many people. Inevitably, she was forced to return to isolation back back on North Brother Island...this time for good.
As time went on Mary volunteered around the island's hospital and eventually also helped out in the lab. She sufferred a stroke in 1932 which sadly left her paralized until her eventual death in 1938; she died of pneumonia.
Controversy:
Many people feel it was wrong for state and/or government officials to lock away a perfectly healthy person in isolation for a crime in which they have no control. But public opinion changed when Mary was caught the second time using the alias Molly Brown. Now speculation was that she caused the illnesses deliberately (perhaps her way of getting back at the upper class for her mistreatment).
There is no question that Mary's case was extreme. It's moral dilemma's lead to the revamping of our nation's public health policies, and caused state and government officials to rethink laws concerning personal vs. societal rights.
She was never charged with a crime.
Note: There were several other people found to have been "healthy" carriers of the fever soon after Mary...some causing even more deaths. Yet they were not handled with such severity. Mary's case stands out because it was the first of its kind, because of the way she fought authorities.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Which glasses dear?
Just had a patient try on glasses to order. The funny thing about it was that his wife has to have her say...except she wasn't here. He tried on several frames, taking pictures of each on his iPhone, and pressed the send button. My, how technology has changed our lives.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
IN MEMORY: RMS Titanic's 98th Anniversary
Today is the 98th anniversary of the sinking of the "practically unsinkable" ship RMS Titanic. This blog entry is written in memory of those who perished at sea that fateful day. May they rest in peace.
TIMELINE:
1. April 11, 1912 at 1:30 pm - Titanic raises anchor and departs from Queensland, Ireland.
2. April 14, 1912 - Lifeboat drills neglected after church services, although it is a requirement.
3. April 14, 1912 around 10:55 pm - The ship Californian is completely surrounded by icebergs and stops for the evening. Sends a warning to Titatnic.
4. April 14, 1912 at 11:55 - Frederick Fleet sight's an iceberg. First Officer Murdoch orders "hard a-starboard" and engines reversed; activates lever to close water tight doors. Ship turns slightly left avoiding head-on collision, but hull is punctured below water line. (Was traveling at 26 mph.) Watertight compartments flood.
5. April 15, 1912 at 12:15 am - Capt. Smith estimates the ship will float only two more hours and orders distress signal "CDQ" sent. Gives orders to ready lifeboats; women and children to be evacuated first.
6. April 15, 1912 at 12:45 am - first lifeboat away with few passengers on board.
7. April 15, 1912 at 2:05 am - last lifeboat away just as bow starts to sink; 1,500 people remain on the ship.
8. April 15, 1912 at 2:20 am - the ship goes under.
9. April 15, 1912 - the Carpathia reaches the stranded boats and searches through frozen bodies for signs of life.
FASCINATING FACTS:
Not only was the ship built to transport passengers between the U.S. and Europe, it was also meant to carry mail (hence the name RMS meaning Royal Mail Ship), cargo, and meat (Europe couldn't produce enough meat to sustain itself at the time).
The division among classes: First class passengers traveled in great luxury on the top decks, while the middle class were afforded great comfort on the middle decks. Third class passengers were provided passage at economical prices, but had much less finery and occupied only the lower levels; they were not permitted access to the upper decks. The poorest passengers traveled in cargo areas on the lowest deck with no ammenities.
The segregation between decks statically led to the demise of many more lower class passengers who either could not reach... or was prevented from reaching... the life boats. There is no evidence proving that this was done deliberately, however. In fact, it is theorized to have been an attempt by the crew to keep what little organization they had in the evacuation process. Only... the crewmembers could not have known that the orders they were waiting for would never come.
Contrary to popular beleif, it was the Americans who had the controlling interest in the ship's ownership. But since the magnificent ship was built in a British shipyard, operated by British subjects, manned by British crews, and perceived by the general public as a British vessel, Great Britain understandably felt immense national pride over her. It was the flag of Great Britain that flew on Titanic's prestigious flag pole.
Unsinkable? The tabloids of the day advertised the Titanic as "practically unskinkable"...not "unsinkable." Technology had long existed to make ships water tight and so the idea of a ship being "practically unsinkable" was not so far fetched. Only after the accident occurred did the word "unsinkable" become intertwined with the name Titanic...most probably to make the story that much more uncomprehensible.
When the ship left port, there were actually more lifeboats on board than the current law required. It was known, however, that this very same law was about to be changed, upping the amount of lifeboats needed on board. Still, space was valuable and boats costly. At the time... the decision makers felt they had no real reason to invest more money into it.
Safety standards in that era were much more lax than they are today. For one reason, the general perception was that the more safety equipment a ship needed, the less safe it actually was. Business men are out to make money...not worry about disasters that may never happen.
There were several ships who altered their course after hearing the Titanic's distress call, but turned around once they realized the Carpathia would beat them to the scene. The Californian, however, was only a few miles off, but did not hear the call due to the operator going to bed early; he had turned off the equipment. Flares, however, were seen in the distance by the Californian's crew, but much debate remains over whether or not the Californian's crew investigated them as aggressively as they should have.
The Titanic was rediscovered on Sept. 1, 1985 by a joint U.S./French discovery project. She lies 963 miles northeast of New York and is 2 1/2 miles below the ocean surface; the wreckage is in extremely delicate condition, making the risk of raising her too great.
The last known survivor, Millvina Dean, died May 31, 2009 at the age of 97. She had somehow managed to survive where around 1,513 others had not.
GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN...
TIMELINE:
1. April 11, 1912 at 1:30 pm - Titanic raises anchor and departs from Queensland, Ireland.
2. April 14, 1912 - Lifeboat drills neglected after church services, although it is a requirement.
3. April 14, 1912 around 10:55 pm - The ship Californian is completely surrounded by icebergs and stops for the evening. Sends a warning to Titatnic.
4. April 14, 1912 at 11:55 - Frederick Fleet sight's an iceberg. First Officer Murdoch orders "hard a-starboard" and engines reversed; activates lever to close water tight doors. Ship turns slightly left avoiding head-on collision, but hull is punctured below water line. (Was traveling at 26 mph.) Watertight compartments flood.
5. April 15, 1912 at 12:15 am - Capt. Smith estimates the ship will float only two more hours and orders distress signal "CDQ" sent. Gives orders to ready lifeboats; women and children to be evacuated first.
6. April 15, 1912 at 12:45 am - first lifeboat away with few passengers on board.
7. April 15, 1912 at 2:05 am - last lifeboat away just as bow starts to sink; 1,500 people remain on the ship.
8. April 15, 1912 at 2:20 am - the ship goes under.
9. April 15, 1912 - the Carpathia reaches the stranded boats and searches through frozen bodies for signs of life.
FASCINATING FACTS:
Not only was the ship built to transport passengers between the U.S. and Europe, it was also meant to carry mail (hence the name RMS meaning Royal Mail Ship), cargo, and meat (Europe couldn't produce enough meat to sustain itself at the time).
The division among classes: First class passengers traveled in great luxury on the top decks, while the middle class were afforded great comfort on the middle decks. Third class passengers were provided passage at economical prices, but had much less finery and occupied only the lower levels; they were not permitted access to the upper decks. The poorest passengers traveled in cargo areas on the lowest deck with no ammenities.
The segregation between decks statically led to the demise of many more lower class passengers who either could not reach... or was prevented from reaching... the life boats. There is no evidence proving that this was done deliberately, however. In fact, it is theorized to have been an attempt by the crew to keep what little organization they had in the evacuation process. Only... the crewmembers could not have known that the orders they were waiting for would never come.
Contrary to popular beleif, it was the Americans who had the controlling interest in the ship's ownership. But since the magnificent ship was built in a British shipyard, operated by British subjects, manned by British crews, and perceived by the general public as a British vessel, Great Britain understandably felt immense national pride over her. It was the flag of Great Britain that flew on Titanic's prestigious flag pole.
Unsinkable? The tabloids of the day advertised the Titanic as "practically unskinkable"...not "unsinkable." Technology had long existed to make ships water tight and so the idea of a ship being "practically unsinkable" was not so far fetched. Only after the accident occurred did the word "unsinkable" become intertwined with the name Titanic...most probably to make the story that much more uncomprehensible.
When the ship left port, there were actually more lifeboats on board than the current law required. It was known, however, that this very same law was about to be changed, upping the amount of lifeboats needed on board. Still, space was valuable and boats costly. At the time... the decision makers felt they had no real reason to invest more money into it.
Safety standards in that era were much more lax than they are today. For one reason, the general perception was that the more safety equipment a ship needed, the less safe it actually was. Business men are out to make money...not worry about disasters that may never happen.
There were several ships who altered their course after hearing the Titanic's distress call, but turned around once they realized the Carpathia would beat them to the scene. The Californian, however, was only a few miles off, but did not hear the call due to the operator going to bed early; he had turned off the equipment. Flares, however, were seen in the distance by the Californian's crew, but much debate remains over whether or not the Californian's crew investigated them as aggressively as they should have.
The Titanic was rediscovered on Sept. 1, 1985 by a joint U.S./French discovery project. She lies 963 miles northeast of New York and is 2 1/2 miles below the ocean surface; the wreckage is in extremely delicate condition, making the risk of raising her too great.
The last known survivor, Millvina Dean, died May 31, 2009 at the age of 97. She had somehow managed to survive where around 1,513 others had not.
GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN...
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Pharaoh Tut sported orthopedic shoes?
Among the many riches and fantastic finds discovered in King Tut's 3300 year old tomb were three pairs of fascinatingly unique sandals hypothesized to have been made to suit the young pharaoh's orthopedic needs.
During a recent investigation into King Tut's genetic history, X-Ray's have revealed deformities in the bones of the feet that would have made mobility difficult. The second toe of the right foot lacked a middle toe which made it drastically shorter...while the left foot was clubbed and rotated internally at the ankle. For cases such as this in modern times orthopedic shoes would be prescribed to help lessen resulting symptoms and make maneuvering in every day life just a little bit easier.
The three sandals in question seem to have been designed to help Tut cope with his debilitating condition; two characteristics of the sandals in particular signal the attempt at an orthopedic correction. The sandals feature horizontal straps just below the toe line, plus semi-circular panel's along the side. These would have made the sandals more secure to the feet in case of being dragged across the floor and are qualities not found in other sandal's of the era.
Other footwear found in the tomb are of various designs, ranging from sewn-together papyrus reeds to shoes manufactured using advanced techniques (for the time) covered in gold leaf and set in gem stones. It is likely that the boy pharaoh would have been toted around by servants and that his more elaboratley decorated footwear would never have touched the ground.
It is interesting to note that while the elaborately decorated shoes never bore the pharaoh's weight, some of his less grand shoes managed to capture the indention of the sole's of his feet for all time.
Reference: MSNBC and Discovery Channel News, via internet 8 April, 2010.
During a recent investigation into King Tut's genetic history, X-Ray's have revealed deformities in the bones of the feet that would have made mobility difficult. The second toe of the right foot lacked a middle toe which made it drastically shorter...while the left foot was clubbed and rotated internally at the ankle. For cases such as this in modern times orthopedic shoes would be prescribed to help lessen resulting symptoms and make maneuvering in every day life just a little bit easier.
The three sandals in question seem to have been designed to help Tut cope with his debilitating condition; two characteristics of the sandals in particular signal the attempt at an orthopedic correction. The sandals feature horizontal straps just below the toe line, plus semi-circular panel's along the side. These would have made the sandals more secure to the feet in case of being dragged across the floor and are qualities not found in other sandal's of the era.
Other footwear found in the tomb are of various designs, ranging from sewn-together papyrus reeds to shoes manufactured using advanced techniques (for the time) covered in gold leaf and set in gem stones. It is likely that the boy pharaoh would have been toted around by servants and that his more elaboratley decorated footwear would never have touched the ground.
It is interesting to note that while the elaborately decorated shoes never bore the pharaoh's weight, some of his less grand shoes managed to capture the indention of the sole's of his feet for all time.
Reference: MSNBC and Discovery Channel News, via internet 8 April, 2010.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Interesting facts about the 1982 Princess Grace tragedy:
"Despite many offers, Princess Grace has never returned to the movies." "Why should she? She has moved from an artificial stage to a real one." - Gary Cooper
I have always been fascinated with Princess Grace, the former American movie star Grace Kelly of Philadelphia, PA. As she was in life, her unfortunate death was no less dramatic.
I have read articles and viewed documentaries about Princess Grace. It seemed to me, though, that the information released concerning the accident was lacking detail. I stumbled across an article that provides a drastically more in-depth account of what happenned directly after the accident occurred. I am posting that information, here.
MONTE CARLO, Monaco - Princess Grace of Monaco and her 17 year old daughter Princess Stephanie were injured when their British made vintage Rover 3500 automobile plunged 45 feet off a winding mountain road, flipping several times and coming to a stop in a flower garden belonging to Sesto Lequio where the engine motor soon caught fire. The accident happenned between the town of La Turbie and the main road of the Cote D'Azur region.
First at the scene was the 62 year old Lequio, a flower nursery owner. A nearly unconscious Stephanie asked the man to "please notify my father, my father." Lequio did not recognize the Princess, and then she told him who her father was. He pulled Stephanie from the wreck and proceeded to put out the motor fire. Lequio said Princess Grace "was trapped in the car and had blood across her head and face." He then helped Stephanie to his house where he called police. Help arrived 10 minutes later and were able to remove Princess Grace through the automobile's back window.
Princess Grace sufferred a fractured right thighbone, a broken rib, and a shatterred collarbone. It is also beleived that she sufferred a minor stroke which could account for losing control of the car. She never regained consciousness and died at the hospital. She was buried in the Grimaldi family tomb aged 53.
Princess Stephanie was later found to have sufferred a serious cervical fracture. She wore a neck brace for a time, and although recovered physically, she is forever traumatized by the event that took her mother's life.
The palace's official statement was that "the car breaks were faulty."
Reference: St. Petersburg Times, United Press International, Pg. 2A, Sept 14, 1982.
I have always been fascinated with Princess Grace, the former American movie star Grace Kelly of Philadelphia, PA. As she was in life, her unfortunate death was no less dramatic.
I have read articles and viewed documentaries about Princess Grace. It seemed to me, though, that the information released concerning the accident was lacking detail. I stumbled across an article that provides a drastically more in-depth account of what happenned directly after the accident occurred. I am posting that information, here.
MONTE CARLO, Monaco - Princess Grace of Monaco and her 17 year old daughter Princess Stephanie were injured when their British made vintage Rover 3500 automobile plunged 45 feet off a winding mountain road, flipping several times and coming to a stop in a flower garden belonging to Sesto Lequio where the engine motor soon caught fire. The accident happenned between the town of La Turbie and the main road of the Cote D'Azur region.
First at the scene was the 62 year old Lequio, a flower nursery owner. A nearly unconscious Stephanie asked the man to "please notify my father, my father." Lequio did not recognize the Princess, and then she told him who her father was. He pulled Stephanie from the wreck and proceeded to put out the motor fire. Lequio said Princess Grace "was trapped in the car and had blood across her head and face." He then helped Stephanie to his house where he called police. Help arrived 10 minutes later and were able to remove Princess Grace through the automobile's back window.
Princess Grace sufferred a fractured right thighbone, a broken rib, and a shatterred collarbone. It is also beleived that she sufferred a minor stroke which could account for losing control of the car. She never regained consciousness and died at the hospital. She was buried in the Grimaldi family tomb aged 53.
Princess Stephanie was later found to have sufferred a serious cervical fracture. She wore a neck brace for a time, and although recovered physically, she is forever traumatized by the event that took her mother's life.
The palace's official statement was that "the car breaks were faulty."
Reference: St. Petersburg Times, United Press International, Pg. 2A, Sept 14, 1982.
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