rate. But it did not help that "conflicting information'' was being fed to medical staff.

This was the view yesterday of King Edward VII Memorial Hospital spokesman Mr.

Aldwyn Savery. Twelve doctors were called in and 50 hospital staff put on stand-by, he said.

Police meanwhile said the New York dentist being held in connection with the emergency had been released and flown home.

It is understood local authorities determined his intentions were not criminal.

Peruvian Enrique Nacimiento, 44, of Brooklyn had carried on board an American Airlines flight a bottle of dental substance believed to be used in making false teeth.

The bottle broke and noxious fumes which filled the cabins causing a number of the 154 passengers breathing difficulty and chest pains.

Mr. Savery said the Emergency Department had been told to expect at least 90 sick people, with 15 in need of intensive care.

In the end only 11 were admitted, and with the exception of a pregnant woman, were all later released. The woman was released on Saturday.

The airplane, enroute from Puerto Rico to New York, made an emergency landing in Bermuda on Friday afternoon. KEMH, Police and US Base and local fire officers were put on full alert.

"The exercise went very well. It was the first time we acted out the full disaster drill that I can remember,'' Mr. Savery said. "Everyone knew what they were supposed to do.'' He added: "Our information was to expect 90 people. But it seemed there was some conflicting information coming from somewhere. At one time we were told 15 people would have to be put in ICU. We were told they had inhaled dental gases.

"We'll have to look into how to get the right information in these situations.'' Emergency Department director Dr. Edward Schultz felt it was better to have over-reacted though.

"We felt it was better to be prepared in case we did receive 90 people and we had not taken it seriously,'' he said.

Dr. Schultz said a debriefing of the exercise would be held in November. Each department involved would critique itself and the Disaster Committee would evaluate all the departments and come up with modifications -- if necessary, in about two months.

The hospital's media consultant Mr. Bryan Darby said Bermuda was fortunate to have Dr. Schultz heading the hospital's Emergency Department.

"He is one of the world's most highly regarded emergency managers. He helped develop the Disaster Committee and put in place the disaster triage system.'' American Airlines local manager Mrs. Carole DeCouto said the substance that caused the emergency was illegal to have on board an airplane as hand luggage.

But Mrs. DeCouto said she understood the man had not been aware he was not allowed to carry the substance onto the plane in the manner in which he did.

She commended local and US Base emergency services for their quick reaction and handling of the emergency.

"They were superb. They had no idea how many passengers to expect -- the plane was carrying 144 passengers and nine crew, who all could have been affected by the fumes.'' Mr. Vincent Hollinsid, who was in charge of the Fire Service's reaction, said a standard procedure was in place for airplane emergencies and it had been followed by local and US Base firemen without any hitches.