Physician: Jackson demanded surgical sleeping gas

A European doctor involved in medically treating Michael Jackson five years ago says the pop icon once demanded from him surgical anesthetic gas to put him to sleep.

The revelation follows a report last week that Diprivan, a powerful sedative usually used in operating rooms to induce unconsciousness, was found at Jackson's rented home. Diprivan is typically administered intravenously and is very unusual to have in a private home.

The European doctor treated Jackson for alleged foot pain at a top hospital in 2004. Although the physician, hospital and city are known to WND, they're being withheld from publication at the source's request, since he was not authorized to talk to the media on the subject.

The physician said Jackson entered the hospital in 2004 anxious and very distraught, but that doctors there could find no evidence the foot pain was real. They feared he was attempting to score painkillers.

For treatment, doctors administered Tranxene, an anti-anxiety agent.

Jackson asked to be admitted to the hospital. In an unusual request, according to the doctor, Jackson specifically asked to be admitted into the intensive care unit usually reserved for severely ill patients. He also asked to be put to rest using anesthetic sleeping gas typically given to patients to induce unconsciousness for surgery, the doctor said.

Doctors turned down Jackson's request and instead administered a routine sleeping aid, the physician told WND.

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WND previously reported the physician who treated Jackson in 2004 said the star exhibited evidence of possible illicit drug use – specifically, signs of taking drugs intravenously and through snorting.

"There were almost no veins left on his arms when he came into the hospital," said the doctor, who was involved in treating Jackson for two days in 2004, when the pop icon came in complaining of extreme foot pain and demanding painkillers.

"Eventually we found a place to start an IV," the doctor said.

Jackson was admitted and stayed at the hospital for two days, where he was treated for anxiety and sleep deprivation, he said.

Jackson evidenced collapsed veins and needle marks in both his arms, signs of possible illicit drug use, the doctor told WND.

Also, he said there was strong evidence Jackson had been regularly snorting drugs – evidence that takes into account possible scarring from reconstructive nasal surgery.

Last week, the AP quoted a law enforcement official stating the powerful Diprivan sedative was found in Jackson's home. The report did not state where the drug came from.

Authorities are investigating allegations Jackson had been consuming painkillers, sedatives and antidepressants.

Celebrity website TMZ.com last week quoted a Jackson family member as saying the pop superstar was receiving a daily dose of Demerol, a morphine-like pain medication.

According to reports, Jackson's medical treatment is now the focus of a police investigation, with law enforcement officials seeking to interview one of Jackson's doctors and reportedly seizing a physician's car they said may contain drugs or other evidence.

Police spokeswoman Karen Rayner told the Associated Press last week police towed a BMW from Jackson's rented California home "because it may contain medications or other evidence that may assist the coroner in determining the cause of death."

Rayner said the car belongs to one of Jackson's doctors whom police wanted to interview. She said she did not know the doctor's identity and stressed the doctor was not under criminal investigation.

One of Jackson's doctors was reportedly in the house with the pop star when he stopped breathing and suffered an apparent cardiac arrest

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