1 week ago
Gujarat Doctors Race Against Time After Toxic Liquor Tragedy
A dangerous drink containing methanol made many people in Gujarat sick.
Methanol is a poisonous chemical that can seriously damage the body.
In Bhavnagar, 60 people were affected and 13 died.
The drink was put into bottles made to look like a popular liquor brand.
Some patients reached hospitals nearly two days after drinking it.
Doctors must treat them quickly because the body changes methanol into even more harmful chemicals.
Medicines such as fomepizole and ethanol can slow this process.
Patients may also need special vitamins, dialysis and careful blood tests.
The Bhavnagar methanol poisoning tragedy has killed 13 people and affected 60.
The first reported casualty, Upendrasinh Chandrasinh Gohil, died on August 18.
The liquor contained 38.59% methanol and was sold in forged branded bottles.
Doctors say symptoms can include vomiting, blurred vision, breathlessness, acidosis and organ failure.
Hospitals are using fomepizole, ethanol, folinic acid, folic acid and dialysis to treat patients.
- Who
- At least 60 people who consumed the contaminated liquor, along with doctors and hospitals treating them, were affected.
- What
- A methanol-laced liquor caused a poisoning tragedy that killed 13 people and hospitalized or otherwise affected dozens more.
- Where
- The tragedy occurred in Bhavnagar, Gujarat; some patients also sought treatment in Surat.
- When
- The first reported death occurred on August 18; the death toll reached 13 within six days, with another victim dying on August 23.
- Why
- The liquor was illegally manufactured using methanol and sold in bottles bearing forged stickers and caps resembling a popular liquor brand.
Criticism of Delayed Confirmation
Forensic Explanation
Why deaths were not confirmed immediately
Criticism of Delayed Confirmation
The district administration faced criticism for a lag in officially confirming that deaths were caused by methanol poisoning as victims continued to die.
Forensic Explanation
A senior forensic expert said toxicology analysis of stomach, liver, kidney and blood samples is needed before identifying the poison and determining the cause of death.
When patients sought care
Criticism of Delayed Confirmation
Doctors said many affected people went to hospitals only after the tragedy was reported in the news, while police took some patients to hospitals.
Forensic Explanation
Medical staff emphasized that treatment effectiveness depends on how quickly patients arrive, because methanol can already have transformed into harmful formic acid.
Key facts
- Deaths
- 13 people had died within six days of the first reported casualty.
- People affected
- 60 people were affected after consuming the toxic drink.
- Methanol concentration
- Forensic testing found 38.59% methanol in the liquor.
- Liquor distributed
- Police believe 25 cartons, containing 300 bottles or about 225 litres, reached retail bootleggers.
- Symptoms
- Reported symptoms include nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, breathlessness, clumsiness and acidosis.
- Treatments
- Doctors used or considered fomepizole, ethanol, folinic acid, folic acid and dialysis.
- Reporting delay
- Officials said confirmation of methanol poisoning required forensic toxicology results.
Quotes
Dr Sunil Panjwani
Head of General Medicine at Sir Takhtasinhji General Hospital in Bhavnagar
“The symptoms start with nausea, vomiting, blurring of vision, and breathlessness. There are also neurological symptoms such as clumsiness. Generally, symptoms start after 2-4 hours. But if a large amount of the tainted liquor was consumed, they could begin immediately… Breathlessness and kidney (acidosis) symptoms begin after 10-12 hours.”
indianexpress.com
“This is not pure laththa (hooch). Pure hooch is more than 70 per cent Methanol… In this case, there was Ethanol too… which is an antidote against Methanol.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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