The original article can be found in: The Royal Gazette By Gareth Finighan
Hospital chiefs have denied claims that Island doctors ‘mutilated’ the corpse of Norman Palmer, and instead insist that the dead man’s body was returned to the UK intact.
The statement was made following reports in the UK and international press that many of Mr Palmer’s organs were removed before his body was repatriated to the UK following his death in 2008.
Mr Palmer, 57, died from breathing difficulties less than one week after being treated by medics at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.
A coroner’s inquiry carried out in Bermuda concluded that the self-employed construction worker was partially responsible for his own death because he failed to heed medical advice.
But Mr Palmer’s family has argued that doctors at KEMH never warned him that his condition was life-threatening and that he should seek medical attention as soon as possible.
The case made international headlines after it was revealed that many of the dead man’s body parts — including his brain, one kidney and throat — were found missing by a UK doctor who carried out a further autopsy in the UK.
And an inquest this week supported the family’s claims, with East Somerset coroner Tony Williams suggesting that Mr Palmer’s organs were removed while his body was still on the Island. The organs have never been traced and no explanation given, though a pathologist in Bermuda later offered to return Mr Palmer’s throat to British authorities.
“This meant the family were not advised of the removal and it only came to light as a result of a further examination in this country,” Mr Williams said.
“The examiner also maintained that a lack of regulations in Bermuda meant that organs could be removed without the consent of the family.
“I have to say this is not uncommon for bodies to be returned to this country with body parts missing.”
An investigation by the Bermuda Police Service concluded that no wrongdoing had taken place.
And last night the Bermuda Hospitals Board maintained that none of Mr Palmer’s organs were removed before his body left Bermuda.
“With regards to the missing organs, we can understand the family’s concerns, but they were not retained by BHB,” a spokeswoman said.
“As we have previously stated, in accordance with regulations, a small number of tissue samples were initially retained with the approval of the Coroner’s Officer to ascertain cause of death, but the organs were returned with the deceased to the funeral home in line with BHB’s policy.”
“We have every sympathy for the family of Mr Palmer. We have already given detailed evidence in a public court about this matter, at which time our physicians, emergency staff and pathologist were extensively questioned. The facts show that our staff acted entirely appropriately.”
Mr Williams has ordered a further autopsy, while Mr Palmer’s family insist that this week’s ruling “doesn’t finish the story”.
Mr Palmer’s sister, Heather Carberry, said: ‘All of his organs apart from one kidney are missing. They mutilated my brother. It is like a horror story.
“Where are his body parts? What did they do with them? What were they used for? Why didn’t they put them back?
“I believe that if this had happened in the UK it wouldn’t have come to my brother even needing to call an ambulance. He would still be alive.’
