Autistic South Korean man DIES after drinking out of dehumidifier

Autistic man, 31, who drank the contents of his dehumidifier DIED of multiple organ failure

• The anonymous patient swallowed around 300ml of the liquid in the gadget
• It contained 300g of calcium chloride – crystals that collect moisture in the air
• Doctors in the Asian country’s capital, Seoul are unsure if it was a suicidal act

A South Korean man died after drinking the contents of the dehumidifier in his home.

The anonymous man endured multiple organ failure after swallowing around 300ml of liquid straight from the gadget.

It contained 300g of calcium chloride – salt crystals that collect moisture from the air and helps to prevent damp in homes. 

The anonymous man endured multiple organ failure after swallowing around 300ml of liquid straight from the gadget (pictured)

Doctors in the Asian country’s capital, Seoul, revealed the autistic man ‘intentionally’ drank the murky solution – but it is unsure if it was a suicidal act.

His death, published in a medical journal, is believed to be the first time anyone has died from drinking the contents of a dehumidifier.

They wrote in the BMJ Case Reports: ‘To our knowledge, fatality from commercial moisture of absorber ingestion has not been reported.’

Concerned about his vomiting and nausea, the South Korean man sought medical help just 20 minutes after swallowing the solution of his trap.

• 
  Patients are living with dementia for less time: Most start…

  
  Depressed people are more likely to consider suicide after a…

  
  New plaster uses nitric oxide GAS to heal wounds faster

  
  A photo a day keeps the blues away! Posting a daily picture…

Share this article

Doctors at the Department of Emergency Medicine at Nowon Eulji Medical Center, in the north of the city, conducted tests on the man.

They revealed the patient, who had pervasive developmental disorder, was suffering from an abnormally low heart rate, known medically as bradycardia.

HOW DO MOISTURE ABSORBERS WORK? 

Moisture absorbers extract water vapours from the air, which can often collect on windows and leave a build-up of mold.

They are filled with a chemical, such as calcium chloride, that eventually dissolves. Users then discard the leftover solution.

Dehumidifiers work in the same fashion, but require electricity – not just regular top-ups of crystals or other chemicals. 

Calcium levels in his blood were twice as high as considered safe, an established side effect of ingesting calcium chloride. 

The team of medics, led by Dr Heebum Yang, decided dialysis was crucial for the patient if he was to flush out the potent chemical.

However, they were forced to transfer him to a nearby hospital because they didn’t have the equipment to start him on the life-saving treatment.

The man was started on dialysis as soon as he reached the other hospital, which hasn’t been named.

But, writing in the journal, doctors explained that ‘unfortunately’ his symptoms ‘did not improve’. He died on his fifth day of being hospitalised.

‘The cause of death was announced as multiple organ failure due to complications of hypercalcaemia by the treating medical team,’ they wrote. 

Moisture absorbers extract water vapours from the air, which can often collect on windows and leave a build-up of mold.

They are filled with a chemical, such as calcium chloride, that eventually dissolves. Users then discard the leftover solution.

Dehumidifiers work in the same fashion, but require electricity – not just regular top-ups of crystals or other chemicals. 

Source: Read Full Article