Denying the incredible: unexplained deaths in a Veterans Administration hospital

During July and August 1975 a large number of patients at the Ann Arbor Veterans Administration Hospital experienced unexplained respiratory arrests, and there were six deaths. These were later shown to be due to the deliberate injection of pancuronium bromide, a muscle relaxant. A questionnaire survey of the reactions of the hospital patients and staff to the deaths revealed that the patients had more confidence in the hospital and their medical treatment than did the staff, and those patients who were theoretically most vulnerable used denial to cope with the unprecedented and frightening situation.