the gentleman might easily have had a heart attack and lost it
I was obviously under the incorrect impression that an aviation medical examination is a pretty thorough technique for weeding out those with clogged arteries, heart muscle disease, and a family history of circulatory system ailments - or is "doctor shopping" common in outback regions, and amongst the mustering set? I'll grant that a few people with circulatory system ailments can, and do, slip through the examinations net - but with modern medical techniques and equipment, that number must be exceptionally low.