Thallium Poisoning
March 1932
in “
Journal of the American Medical Association
”
TLDR Thallium poisoning from contaminated tortillas caused severe symptoms and was mostly fatal or led to long-term health issues.
The document details eleven cases of thallium poisoning at the General Hospital of Fresno County, California, caused by ingesting tortillas made from barley mixed with thallium sulfate. Symptoms included tingling and pain in extremities, severe abdominal pain, vomiting, stomatitis, salivation, hair loss, cranial nerve palsies, disturbed sensorium, and myoclonic movements. Severe cases experienced convulsions, delirium, and coma leading to respiratory failure. Treatment with sodium thiosulphate and sodium iodide was largely ineffective, with only three patients recovering, while others either died or continued to suffer from peripheral neuritis and mental changes.
