Barely 24 hours after he caused a flutter on the pavement outside the Ripon Building, 78-year-old Caledonian Honore Oury looks downright cheerful. Nestled in the plaid green sheets in a ward on the fourth floor of the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, Oury tries to communicate in French, much to the amusement of the nurses around him.
Contrary to what people said about him being dumped near the Chennai Corporation headquarters by two men in an auto, police officials confirmed that he had been walking around on his own - taking in the sights and sounds. Doctors confirmed that the ‘Fainting Frenchman’ was suffering from was hypoglycaemia (or low blood sugar), which caused his vertigo and caused him to faint. “He hadn’t eaten for a long time and so his blood sugar was very low. This would have caused him to black out and fall down there. He had no other injuries,” confirmed a doctor at the GH.
“He appears to be a tourist who arrived here two months ago. He was wearing good clothes. His mind is still a little sluggish, so his memory is still coming around,” said Dr V Kanagasabai, MMC Dean.
Police sources also said that they had informed the French Consulate in Puducherry and that they were apparently trying to reach his family.
