The BMJ report states that the onboard medical kit had local anaesthetic available (though it also states that "in the heat of the moment, neither I nor Dr Wong

The BMJ report states that the onboard medical kit had local anaesthetic available (though it also states that "in the heat of the moment, neither I nor Dr Wong were able to calculate the percentage of lignocaine in it" and isn't entirely clear about whether they used it anyway or went in without). They did use a good belt of ("5 star") brandy, but for equipment sterilisation rather than pain control.