1                         STATE OF OHIO

                 2                    IN THE COURT OF CLAIMS

                 3

                 4 JOHN LASTRAPES and
                   DOROTHY LASTRAPES
                 5
                                      Plaintiffs,
                 6 -vs-                                      Case No. 88-11057

                 7
                   THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL
                 8 HEALTH,

                 9                     Defendant.

                 10

                 11 APPEARANCES:

                 12 WEISMAN, GOLDBERG, WEISMAN & KAUFMAN, Co., LPA,

                 13    540 Leader Building, Cleveland, Ohio, 44114

                 14    For the Plaintiffs.

                 15    BY:  JAMES GOLDBERG

                 16 ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, Capitol Square Office

                 17    Building, 65 East State Street, Suite 700,

                 18    Columbus, Ohio 43266-0590

                 19    For the Defendant

                 20    BY:  MARILENA RINALDI WALTERS and

                 21         TIMOTHY J. BOJANOWSKI

                 22
                                 DEPOSITION OF DONALD C. AUSTIN, M.D.
                 2 3

                 24                       Taken on June 7, 1989

                 2 5
                                                                             1


                                             National Couft Reporting Inc.
                                             29850 N@@ Highway, Stilto I iO
                                             Southfield.  Ml 48034 313/358-3730

                    1                        The deposition of DONALD C.
                    2      D., a witness in the above-entitled cause, taken
                    3before Susan K. Jones, Certified Shorthand Reporter and
                    4Notary Public in and for Oakland County, Michigan, (Acting in
                    5Wayne County, Michigan) at 4160 John R, Suite 507, Detroit,
                                                   1989, commencing at about
                    6Michigan,on the 7th day of June,
                    74:50 p.m.
                    8                    E X H I B I T S
                    9(none offered)
                    10
                    11

                    12                        MS.  WALTERS:  Dr. Austin, my name

                    13 is Marilena Walters and I represent Cleveland Psychiatric

                    14 Hospital.  This, as you know, is a discovery deposition.  I'm

                    15 going to ask you some questions.  I don't intend any of my

                    16 questions to be trickey or difficult.  I'm going to ask  you

                    17 simple questions and I expect your answers to be simple.  If

                    18 you don't understand my question please tell me and I'll

                    19 rephrase it.

                    20                         THE WITNESS:  All right.

                                               MR.  GOLDBERG: Otherwise  I  will
                    21
                    assume that you understand it.
                    22

                    23                DONALD C. AUSTIN, M.D.

                    having first been duly sworn, was examined and testifed  on
                    24
                    his oath as follows:
                    25

                 1                          EXAMINATION

                 2          TERS:

                 3   Q.  For the record will you please state your name?

                 4   A.  Donald Castle Austin.

                 5   Q.  And what is your professional address, Dr. Austin?

                 6   A.  The Harper Hospital Professional Building,  room  507  at

                 7   4160 John R, Detroit, Michigan.

                 8   Q.  Dr. Austin, do you have a specialty?

                 9   A.  Yes, I do.

                 10  Q.  And what is that specialty?

                 11  A.  Neurosurgery.

                 12  Q.  Would you please explain to me what neurosurgery

                 13  involves just briefly?

                 14  A.  Neurosurgery is a branch of medicine which has to do

                 15  with the diagnosis and treatment of any  disease,  injury  or

                 16  affliction of the neuro system, in other  words,  the  brain,

                 17  the spine, the spinal cord or any of the nerves coming out of

                 18  the brain or spine or various parts of the body.

                 19  Q.  When were you first licensed, Dr. Austin?

                 20  A.  1958 in Michigan -- I mean in Indiana, I'm sorry.

                 21  Q.  And how long have you been involved in the field of

                 22  neurosurgery?

                 23  A.  I completed my residency training in August of 1963 and

                 24  I've been involved in that specialty  ever  since,  in  o