Rapid toxicologic collapse

A man and a woman both die shortly after exposure to the same liquid toxin; he ingests it and she is injected intragluteally. In reporting this unfortunate case, the authors consider the limited range of agents capable of causing such swift hemodynamic collapse. The toxin ultimately identified as responsible is one that is easily obtained, and since the antidotes for this lethal agent must be given early, the authors recommend that they be stocked in the ED or possibly available to EMS.