As Dr. Leith noted, the emergency oxygen masks on commercial passenger aircraft can not be used as a source of supplemental oxygen. I asked for oxygen on both occasions. It was too long in coming and it came with no positive pressure device. After each of these events, I was asked by the attendant to fill out an "incident report," and subsequently received letters of thanks from the medical department of TWA. I was asked for suggestions as to how to improve emergency medical care on aircraft and recommended that a generic self-inflating resuscitator (e.g. "Ambu") bag and oxygen source be in each kit and immediately available. Some time later there was a note in the J.A.M.A. asking physicians who had helped with emergency care on aircraft to relate their experiences, and to make suggestions for improving such care. Once more I suggested the resuscitator bag. The cost of such a device is miniscule compared to that of a commercial airliner, so I believe that it is still not provided because the airlines fear increased liability from its presence. I hesitated to recommend a defibrillator because the airlines would believe that the presence of this might also expose them to a greater liability risk. Today, I believe it would be difficult to find an airliner passenger list that did not contain someone trained in CPR. Therefore, I still feel that a resuscitator bag and easily available supplemental oxygen source should be required on each commercial airliner. I hope that we as both physicians and anesthesiologists would back such a recommendation.
Solomon H. Statman, M.D.
Long Beach, CA