A statement by i; dward Verburg regarding injury to his loft eye while 
employed as Cook on the vessel n Tondeleyo ,> under charter to the Fish and 
wildlife '?erri oe, 
1. History of accident and medical attention* 
The galley stove had been performing improperly and had gone out. 1 
stooped &om a In front of the stove to relight oil burner and since the vessel 
was roll in $ badly and space limited, my face was necessarily near the fire 
door. As I applied lighted paper torch there was an explosion causing a 
severe concussion and shot of flame which struck the left side of ay face, 
burning the eye brows and eye lashes on the left side and burning the loft 
side of ny face. 
"The immediate effect was a pronounced burning sensation in ry eye and 
on the left side of .my face, 
I immediately reported t accident to Dr. Schmitt and Hr. Bineochar, 
government scientists aboard the vessel and they gave first aid of washing 
my eye with medicated eye wash and ap lying burn ointment to »y face. This 
treat sent was continued for about a week and the burning sensation decreased 
but 1 began to notice that I could not see as well. The eye ball also felt 
sticky and we thought that this fluid was what was bothering ay vision. 
it the time the accident occurred the vessel was is Canoe Bay, Blaaka , 
several hundred mil®® from the nearest doctor and I did sot want to ask 
that the vessel leave the fishing grounds for this purpose unless I knew 
there v?ae really something seriously wrong with my eye. After about three 
wee "« 1 began to notice that my vision was becoming very noticeably affected 
and I then asked Capt. h. V, jiclsea, ’aster of the "’Tontleleyo" if he would 
take me to a doctor. He refused to do so immediately and kept putting a® 
off saying the vessel would soon be going back to 3 odlak, Alaska. 
