A team of doctors at AIIMS, Gorakhpur, has found that dropsy, likely caused by consumption of toxic oil made from ‘Satyanashi’ (Mexican poppy or Argemone mexicana) seeds, was behind the deaths of three members of a family in Ballia recently, hospital officials said on Friday.
A team led by medicine department head Dr Ajay Kumar Mishra and Dr Kanishk Kumar subsequently conducted detailed examinations and confirmed the diagnosis, AIIMS, Gorakhpur, officials said. During the investigation, Dr Ashutosh Tiwari of the neurology department suspected dropsy based on the patients’ symptoms. The medical team also counselled the family about the causes and symptoms of dropsy and stressed the importance of seeking timely medical treatment.
AIIMS, Gorakhpur, executive director Maj Gen (retd) Dr Vibha Dutta said the medical team was able to identify the cause of the illness and provide timely treatment, which helped save two other family members. AIIMS, Gorahpur, officials said Shiv Chand and his son recovered following treatment and were subsequently discharged from the hospital.
