Confusing news story

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mikehardware
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Confusing news story

#1 Post by mikehardware » Fri Apr 16, 2021 1:59 pm

I'm confused by a couple of quotes from this news article that seem to be contradictory, and I thought maybe someone could help explain this to me.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/16/us/derek ... index.html

The first part, with emphasis added:

Dr. Martin Tobin, a pulmonologist who testified last week, returned to the stand Thursday for the prosecution in a short rebuttal against a defense medical expert.
The state sought to counter the testimony of a forensic pathologist who told the jury Wednesday that Floyd's cause of death was "undetermined." Floyd's underlying heart issues were the main causes, the pathologist said.
Dr. David Fowler, who retired as Maryland's chief medical examiner at the end of 2019, introduced a novel defense argument: Carbon monoxide from the squad car's exhaust may have contributed to Floyd's death. Fowler admitted no data or test results could back up his claim.
Tobin, in a short rebuttal, told the jury the carbon monoxide theory is proven wrong by a different blood test that showed Floyd's blood oxygen saturation was 98%. That meant his carbon monoxide level could at most be 2% -- within the normal range.

And later in the article:

Four other medical experts offered similar testimony for the state: Floyd died from cardiopulmonary arrest caused by low oxygen levels from prone restraint and positional asphyxia. A cardiologist testified that Floyd's heart showed no evidence of injury.

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Bob Juch
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Re: Confusing news story

#2 Post by Bob Juch » Fri Apr 16, 2021 4:13 pm

That is strange. I don't have the background to explain that.

I would have asked Dr. Tobin if he would lie on the floor and have me put my knee on his neck for nine minutes since that didn't cause Floyd's death.
I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.
- Douglas Adams (1952 - 2001)

Si fractum non sit, noli id reficere.

Teach a child to be polite and courteous in the home and, when he grows up, he'll never be able to drive in New Jersey.

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mrkelley23
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Re: Confusing news story

#3 Post by mrkelley23 » Fri Apr 16, 2021 5:35 pm

I'm no doctor, but I'm pretty sure there is a difference between blood oxygen saturation and oxygen deprivation to the respiratory system, and later the brain.

Unfortunately, we've chased away all the smart people trained in this stuff who could explain it for us.
For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled. -- Richard Feynman

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Bob Juch
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Re: Confusing news story

#4 Post by Bob Juch » Fri Apr 16, 2021 9:00 pm

I just figured it out:

Floyd didn't die from having his air cut off. He died from having the blood supply to his brain cut off, which caused a lack of oxygen to his brain.
I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.
- Douglas Adams (1952 - 2001)

Si fractum non sit, noli id reficere.

Teach a child to be polite and courteous in the home and, when he grows up, he'll never be able to drive in New Jersey.

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