Gloria Ramirez, aged 31 with a history of cervical cancer, was brought to Riverside General Hospital in Southern California at around 8:15 pm in February 1994. She exhibited slow breathing and a rapid heartbeat, perplexing the medical staff. Despite their efforts to aid her with medications for sedation and heart rate control, Gloria's condition did not improve.
Nurses noticed an unusual oily sheen and garlic-like odor on Gloria Ramirez's skin when her shirt was removed. Blood drawn emitted a strange smell, prompting further investigation. However, the test results perplexed medical staff as they did not match common medical conditions. Subsequently, staff members began experiencing distressing symptoms such as burning sensations and nausea. This caused a wave of sickness among the hospital personnel, leading to an internal emergency declaration by the hospital director. Emergency room patients were promptly evacuated to the hospital parking lot.
At 8:50, news of Ramirez's death circulated, prompting the hospital staff to move her body to an isolated waiting room. This action grabbed media attention, with reports speculating about a mysterious threat within the hospital. The story of Gloria Ramirez stirred both curiosity and fear among the public.
The incident triggered a comprehensive investigation involving multiple experts and medical facilities seeking answers. Nurse Georginsky endured severe symptoms such as tremors, breathing difficulties, hepatitis, and pancreatic issues. Her health deteriorated to the extent of developing blood vessel necrosis, requiring crutches for two weeks.
The number of affected individuals reached 23 out of 37 emergency room staff, all displaying similar symptoms. The wave of illnesses caused significant concern and repercussions throughout the hospital community, leaving many dealing with the aftermath of this puzzling medical enigma.
Following the disturbing incidents at the medical facility, a specialized team was dispatched to investigate the perplexing sickness among the employees. They searched for hazardous substances like hydrogen sulfide in the air but found nothing. Focus shifted to Gloria Ramirez, with medical examiners conducting a detailed examination of her remains to uncover the source of the unusual symptoms. Despite completing their investigation, the official department in charge of determining causes of death postponed revealing their findings, adding to the mystery surrounding the situation.
The bewildering nature of Gloria Ramirez's case prompted the medical examiner to seek help from a forensic science facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Her remains were secured in a tightly sealed aluminum casket to prevent any potential release of harmful substances. Throughout the investigation, three separate procedures were conducted - the initial one shortly after her death, followed by two more in the weeks following her burial. Due to the mysterious circumstances of her case, the media dubbed her "the toxic woman," emphasizing that individuals near her body without proper protective gear would fall ill, requiring specialized attire similar to what hazardous materials experts use.
After an extended two-month period, Gloria Ramirez's body was finally released due to extremely high toxicity levels detected. Concerns arose regarding potential poisoning and fainting spells for attendees at her funeral. A comprehensive autopsy was performed on March 25, unveiling traces of Tylenol, lidocaine, codeine, and Tigan in her system. The discovery of Tigan, an anti-nausea medication that transforms into amines related to ammonia in the body, provided a crucial breakthrough. This finding explained the ammonia-like odor emanating from Ramirez's blood sample at the hospital. Additionally, the toxicology report highlighted significant levels of dimethylsulfone present in both her blood and tissues, marking a significant development in the investigation.
The coroner's office discovered that Gloria's death was caused by poisoning from dimethyl sulfoxide, a compound she used as an alternative treatment for her cancer. The medical staff who tried to revive her in the emergency room also experienced symptoms of poisoning from the same substance. Dimethyl sulfoxide turned into a toxic gas called dimethyl sulfate when exposed to oxygen, causing severe health issues including convulsions, delirium, and paralysis. This revelation shocked everyone involved in the case.
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Comments (2)
This is shocking and one does have to be careful when dealing with any and all medications.
Ugh ugh ugh. What a story-that woman did what many do - they find some article about a substance that will cure them and overdo it. Wow.