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Ginsburg Released After Hospital Stay
The National Law Journal
October 15, 2009
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
image: Patrice Gilbert/Legal Times
The Supreme Court announced that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg spent the night at Washington Hospital Center for observation after apparently experiencing a bad reaction to the combination of cold medication and a prescription sleeping aid Wednesday.
She had taken the medications before getting on a plane bound for London Wednesday evening. Once on the plane, she was extremely drowsy to the point of falling from her seat, the Court said. The 76-year-old justice was taken to the hospital, where she stayed overnight and was released Thursday morning, with doctors stating she is in stable health.
Ginsburg and several other justices were heading to London to help celebrate the recent launch of the United Kingdom Supreme Court, created as an institution separate from the House of Lords. Ginsburg will now no longer be part of the delegation.
Though appearing frail, Ginsburg was an active and alert questioner in the opening argument cycle of the term in the last two weeks. Diagnosed with early-stage pancreatic cancer in February, Gisnburg has had surgery and other treatments and has not missed any Court sessions. She was also hospitalized briefly in late September after feeling ill following a treatment for iron deficiency.
Following is the statement released by the Court:
"U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was taken to the Washington Hospital Center at approximately 11:15 p.m. Wednesday evening after an apparent adverse reaction to a sleeping aid combined with cold medication she took immediately after boarding an overnight flight bound for London. Prior to the plane taking off, the Justice experienced extreme drowsiness causing her to fall from her seat. Paramedics were called and the Justice was taken to the Washington Hospital Center as a precaution.
"Justice Ginsburg was evaluated at the hospital and she was found to be in stable health. Doctors attributed her symptoms to a reaction caused by the combination of a prescription sleeping aid and an over-the-counter cold medication. She was admitted overnight for observation and was released this morning."
This article first appeared on The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times.
