They predicted either that or infection of his head wound would kill him in a few days.
The infections killed 4.1 million people in 1993, the latest year for which data are available.
Left unchecked, massive infection could kill Kirk in less than an hour.
The infection strikes about 200,000 Americans each year, and kills about half of them.
Had he waited a couple of hours, doctors told him, the infection probably would have killed him.
It's beginning to look like we might be here awhile, and if we don't take care of them, infection could kill us.
These infections often kill the hospital patients who acquire them.
Had he not done so when he did, the infection could have gone all the way to his brain and possibly killed him.
Respiratory infections kill another 157,000 each year, and even measles takes the lives of more than 60,000 children.
Two years ago the same infections almost killed her and she received the last rites.