A CASE OF FATAL BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE POISONING

Five elderly persons with senile dementia accidentally ingested Hoesmi n, a 10% aqueous solution of benzalkonium chloride (BAC). The conditio n of one patient, an 84-year-old woman whose lips and oral cavity beca me erythematous, gradually deteriorated. Although gastric lavage was p erformed, the patient died 3 h after ingestion of Hoesmin. Autopsy rev ealed corrosive changes of the mucosal surfaces of the tongue, pharynx , larynx, esophagus and stomach which may have come in contact with BA C. In addition, BAC was detected in the serum. We conclude that the pa tient died of BAC poisoning. Fatal BAC poisoning is rare and autopsy f indings in only a few cases of BAC poisoning have been reported. Our f indings emphasize the risk of oral ingestion of BAG.