PEANUT BUTTER AND FATAL FLUORIDE POISONING - A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY

We report here a case of an adult seeking a late night peanut butter s nack who mistook for peanut butter a fluoride containing glass etching compound. The glass etching compound was of a color and consistency s imilar to peanut butter and was packaged in a similar appearing contai ner. The decedent survived for six hours after the fluoride ingestion. He was admitted to the emergency room in stable condition with severe gastrointestinal symptoms. His condition deteriorated rapidly prior t o death with abrupt cardiac arrest and profound hypocalcemia (5.5 mg/d l). Autopsy showed only gastric hyperemia and discoloration with a pos tmortem blood fluoride level of 19 mg/L.