I know almost zip about the neurological sciences, but there is a test of the oculovestibular reflex known as "cold calorics". Try this only if you are comatose. Have somebody inject 50-100cc of iced water in your ear. Maybe you'll wake up enough to look over at the idiot who just did such an insane thing. Come on now, maybe you were just sleeping. Anyway, I referenced the name when regarding the phenomenon of drinking an icy drink, and there is a vagal response which can cause the heartbeat to slow. Not so bad, unless you've recently had some whopping heart attack; oops!

Cardiac Calorics

If you're looking for adventure
And you'd like to try heroics,
Treat your patient with the heart attack
To cardiac calorics,
It's really very simple
A cup of ice will do,
Have him take a couple drinks
And maybe he'll turn blue.

There's a slowing of the heart rate
An upturn of the eye,
Keep the Atropine at hand
Or the fellow just might die,
If perchance, he comes around
You can justify your decision,
Couched in terms of research
Did the fellow have a vision?

An out of body journey
Did he meet a long lost friend,
Did he get a premonition
About when the world will end,
If he fails to come around
He may have found the treasure,
And your deed will be recorded
As a cost effective measure.

Fibril_late; 2/93