Related News
Thallium poisoning leaves woman in long coma
By Zhang Xuanchen |
August 13, 2010, Friday
|
Online Edition
Online Edition
POLICE in southern China are probing a mysterious case of thallium poisoning in which a woman has been in a coma for 28 days and may suffer brain paralysis.
The 37-year-old woman, Liu Meizhao, is being treated in the intensive care ward in a hospital in Dongguan, Guangdong Province, but showed no sign of recovery.
The antidote she took to clear the lethal element from her body didn't seem to work as she still suffered a thallium level many times higher than normal, China News Service reported today.
Liu complained about hair loss, joint pain and excruciating skin in June and was diagnosed with cervical syndrome. A Dongguan hospital then operated on her neck. But her condition worsened and she was transferred to another hospital which confirmed her thallium poisoning.
Preliminary investigation found the lethal element in the kelp the patient ate, but police in Dongguan said they still need further tests to determine whether it was the leading cause.
Liu's relatives, however, blamed her employer, a US-based electronic company for bringing her the ailment, which was denied by the company.
The investigation is still going on.
Thallium is colorless, odorless and deadly in doses as small as 1.13 grams. It has been used in rat poison and it continues to be used industrially to manufacture products including glass lenses, semiconductors, dyes and pigments.
The 37-year-old woman, Liu Meizhao, is being treated in the intensive care ward in a hospital in Dongguan, Guangdong Province, but showed no sign of recovery.
The antidote she took to clear the lethal element from her body didn't seem to work as she still suffered a thallium level many times higher than normal, China News Service reported today.
Liu complained about hair loss, joint pain and excruciating skin in June and was diagnosed with cervical syndrome. A Dongguan hospital then operated on her neck. But her condition worsened and she was transferred to another hospital which confirmed her thallium poisoning.
Preliminary investigation found the lethal element in the kelp the patient ate, but police in Dongguan said they still need further tests to determine whether it was the leading cause.
Liu's relatives, however, blamed her employer, a US-based electronic company for bringing her the ailment, which was denied by the company.
The investigation is still going on.
Thallium is colorless, odorless and deadly in doses as small as 1.13 grams. It has been used in rat poison and it continues to be used industrially to manufacture products including glass lenses, semiconductors, dyes and pigments.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
