237:. Complaining that she was lightheaded, she left the emergency room and sat at a nurse's desk. A staff member asked her if she was okay, but before she could respond, Gorchynski also fainted. Maureen Welch was the third to faint, after noting that the blood drawn smelled less like that from a chemo-patient and more like the ammonia odor the other staff were describing. On awakening, she couldn’t control the movement of her limbs. Staff was then ordered to evacuate all emergency room patients to the parking lot outside the hospital while it was declared under an internal emergency. During this time, a
266:, which put two scientists, Drs. Ana Maria Osorio and Kirsten Waller, on the case. They interviewed 34 hospital staff who had been working in the emergency room on February 19. Using a standardized questionnaire, Osorio and Waller found that the people who had developed severe symptoms, such as loss of consciousness, shortness of breath and muscle spasms, tended to have certain things in common. People who had worked within two feet of Ramirez and had handled her
302:-like taste. Sold in gel form at hardware stores, topical application to Ramirez's skin could explain the greasy appearance of Ramirez's body. Livermore scientists theorized that the DMSO in Ramirez's system might have built up owing to urinary blockage caused by her kidney failure. Oxygen administered by the paramedics would have combined with the DMSO to form
360:
The family pathologist, Dr. Richard
Fukomoto, was unable to examine her body upon its release, due to a large set of strange circumstances. Some of the organs in Ramirez's body were cross-contaminated with fecal matter, her remains had become heavily decomposed by the time Dr. Fukumoto could examine
356:
Two months after
Ramirez died, her body was released for an independent autopsy and burial. The Riverside Coroner's Office hailed Livermore's DMSO conclusion as the probable cause of the hospital staff's symptoms while her family disagreed. Ramirez's sister, Maggie Ramirez-Garcia spoke out in April
347:
This case was one of the most extensive investigations in medical history, with "medical detectives from ten local, state and federal outfits," examining dozens of potential causes behind the hysteria. In the end, it was suggested that the staff underwent an outbreak of a mass sociogenic illness,
368:
in
Riverside. Her official cause of death was labeled cardiac dysrhythmia that resulted in kidney failure, all stemming from her cervical cancer. During her funeral, and afterwords, her family continued pinning the blame on the poor care of the hospital for Ramirez's death, and maintain that the
270:
had been at high risk. But other factors that correlated with severe symptoms did not appear to match a scenario in which fumes had been released: the survey found that those afflicted tended to be women rather than men, and they all had normal blood tests after the exposure. They believed the
249:
related to her cancer. 23 people who were in
Ramirez's vicinity became ill, and five were hospitalized. The incident itself was around 30 minutes, with Gloria Ramirez's body being isolated into a separate room next to the trauma room, and later bagged and moved into an air-tight container.
361:
them, and mysteriously her heart had gone missing. These findings led to further doubts from her family about the standard of care maintained at the hospital and by the county coroner, as along with her heart the vial of blood taken prior to
Ramirez's death had also turned up missing.
158:
Prior to arriving at the emergency room, Gloria
Ramirez' boyfriend at the time, Johnnie Estrada, called 911 and reported that Ramirez was experiencing nausea and vomiting throughout the entire day. At about 8:15 p.m. on February 19, 1994, Gloria Ramirez, suffering from severe
381:, the authors state that, although some weaknesses exist, the postulated scenario is "the most scientific explanation to date" and that "beyond this theory, no credible explanation has ever been offered for the strange case of Gloria Ramirez."
434:", features a patient who is based on this case. The cancer patient causes any doctors who come in contact with her to faint and require immediate medical attention due to her taking a herbal supplement, causing her blood to become toxic.
202:(Ativan) to sedate Ramirez; and followed up with lidocaine and Bretylium agents to address her abnormal heartrate. When it became clear that she was responding poorly to treatment, Ramirez began to go into shock, and staff tried to
357:
of 1994, inquiring into the ten weeks it took for the cause of death to be deemed "natural causes." Ramirez-Garcia furthered this point by arguing that her sister would not have died that night had she not gone into the hospital.
344:. However, many organic chemists turn their noses at this theory, citing the length of time required for a reaction like this to occur and the uncooperative variables within Ramirez's body in making the conversion.
384:
Grant's conclusions and speculations about the incident were evaluated by professional forensic scientists, chemists, and toxicologists, passed peer review in an accredited, refereed journal, and were published by
723:
Grant, Patrick M.; Haas, Jeffrey S.; Whipple, Richard E.; Andresen, Brian D. (1997). "A possible chemical explanation for the events associated with the death of Gloria
Ramirez at Riverside General Hospital".
336:
that the change in temperature of the blood drawn, from the 98.6 °F (37 °C) of
Ramirez's body to the 64 °F (18 °C) of the emergency room, may have also contributed to a conversion from DMSO
140:(DMS), a highly toxic and carcinogenic alkylating agent. Although dimethyl sulfate has a vapor point of 148°C (298°F), it is believed to have transitioned to a gaseous state due to the vacuum inside the
117:. While treating Ramirez, three hospital workers fainted, and others experienced symptoms such as shortness of breath and muscle spasms. Five workers required hospitalization, one of whom remained in an
314:
is known to crystallize at room temperature, and crystals were observed in some of
Ramirez's drawn blood. Electric shocks administered during emergency defibrillation could have then converted the DMSO
827:
377:
The possible chemical explanation for this incident, by
Patrick M. Grant of the Livermore Forensic Science Center, has appeared in some forensic science textbooks. In one such textbook,
144:. This is similar to how water boils at a lower temperature when exposed to low pressure. This theory has been endorsed by the Riverside Coroner's Office and published in the journal
412:
episode "A Most Surprising Bond" is loosely based on the Ramirez case, using the DMSO hypothesis to explain how a hospital patient's blood is causing those around her to fall ill.
187:. Respiratory therapist, Maureen Welch, noted that Ramirez's age, even with her diagnosis of cervical cancer, was odd since most patients exhibiting her symptoms were elderly.
802:
229:, who noticed manila-colored (yellow-brown) crystalized particles floating in the blood. At this point, Kane began feeling her burning sension on her face and then
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Gorchynski denied that she had been affected by mass hysteria and pointed to her own medical history as evidence. After the exposure, she spent two weeks in the
832:
431:
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136:(DMSO) as a pain treatment. The oxygen from the mask provided by paramedics during her transport to the hospital likely converted the DMSO into
291:
129:
403:, covers the case of Ramirez death and examines different hypothesis as to what may have caused the incidents that surrounded her passing.
807:
109:
by the media when several hospital workers became ill after airborne exposure to her body and blood. Ramirez had been admitted to the
699:
387:
298:(DMSO), a solvent most commonly used as a degreaser, as a home remedy for pain. Users of this substance report that it has a
146:
330:, exposure to which could have caused the reported symptoms of the emergency room staff. Livermore scientists postulated on
184:
259:
206:
her heart; at that point several medical workers saw an oily sheen covering Ramirez's body, and some noticed a fruity,
792:
415:
Gloria Ramirez's story also played a part in inspiring the 1995 episode "Stink Bomb" of the three-part film anthology
121:
for two weeks. Ramirez herself died from complications related to her cancer shortly after arriving at the hospital.
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toxic fumes that resulted in her death along with the hysteria could likely be attributed to the hospital as well.
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275:. In total, 27 of the 37 staff member in the emergency room that night reported feeling some time of symptom.
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by Katsuhiro Otomo, where a lab technician ingests an experimental drug and becomes a walking biohazard.
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Grant, "Response to Letters to the Editor Concerning the Riverside 'Mystery Fumes' Incident Analysis",
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to investigate the incident. Livermore postulated that Ramirez had been using
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which could have been a result of the chemical conversion described above.
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stayed behind to stabilize Ramirez. At 8:50 p.m., after 45 minutes of
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On April 20, 1994—ten weeks after her death—Ramirez was buried at
93:(January 11, 1963 – February 19, 1994) was an American woman from
468:
242:
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in her knees. The Riverside Coroner's Office contacted the
694:(Third ed.). Amsterdam: Academic Press. p. 177.
680:, M.M. Houck and J.A. Siegel, Academic Press, 2006, p. 46.
214:
Susan Kane drew blood from Ramirez's arm and noticed an
210:-like odor that they thought was coming from her mouth.
124:
The incident was initially considered to be a case of
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and defibrillation, Ramirez was pronounced dead from
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health specialist department called in California's
179:. She was extremely confused and was suffering from
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132:suggested that Ramirez had been self-administering
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21:
828:Deaths from cervical cancer in the United States
84:Cause of illnesses of multiple hospital workers
271:hospital workers suffered from an incident of
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225:Kane passed the tube to Julie Gorchynski, a
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401:The Bizarre Toxic Death of Gloria Ramirez
163:, was brought into the emergency room of
803:Conspiracy theories in the United States
633:"What's the story on the "toxic lady"?"
460:
282:with breathing problems. She developed
264:Department of Health and Human Services
773:"Memories: Stink Bomb – All the Anime"
690:Houck, Max M.; Siegel, Jay A. (2015).
326:), the highly toxic dimethyl ester of
292:Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
130:Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
813:Death in Riverside County, California
373:Status of technical forensic analysis
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833:Unsolved deaths in the United States
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16:Death of an American cancer patient
798:Burials at Olivewood Memorial Park
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654:"Woman at Core of Mystery Buried"
823:Deaths from cancer in California
692:Fundamentals of forensic science
678:Fundamentals of Forensic Science
379:Fundamentals of Forensic Science
602:"Skeptoid #291: The Toxic Lady"
818:Deaths by person in California
760:Forensic Science International
726:Forensic Science International
388:Forensic Science International
147:Forensic Science International
1:
738:10.1016/S0379-0738(97)00076-5
652:Gorman, Tom (21 April 1994).
566:Stone, Richard (April 1995).
218:-like smell coming from the
190:Hospital staff administered
568:"Analysis of a Toxic Death"
530:"Analysis of a Toxic Death"
854:
424:Episode 14 of season 3 of
165:Riverside General Hospital
154:Emergency department visit
113:suffering from late-stage
808:Death conspiracy theories
185:Cheyne–Stokes respiration
444:List of unsolved deaths
366:Olivewood Memorial Park
449:List of unusual deaths
128:. An investigation by
91:Gloria Cecilia Ramirez
33:Gloria Cecilia Ramirez
658:The Los Angeles Times
399:Buzzfeed Unsolved's,
101:, who was dubbed the
64:Riverside, California
47:Riverside, California
471:; Gloria C. Ramirez.
762:94: 223–230 (1998).
280:intensive care unit
119:intensive care unit
70:Cause of death
793:1994 in California
775:. August 25, 2022.
600:(3 January 2012).
395:In popular culture
333:The New Detectives
296:dimethyl sulfoxide
288:avascular necrosis
161:heart palpitations
134:dimethyl sulfoxide
638:The Straight Dope
631:(22 March 1996).
572:Discover Magazine
534:Discover Magazine
409:Murdoch Mysteries
268:intravenous lines
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57:February 19, 1994
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320:dimethyl sulfate
304:dimethyl sulfone
260:Riverside County
227:medical resident
212:Registered nurse
138:dimethyl sulfate
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61:(aged 31)
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59:(1994-02-19)
467:Dates from
181:tachycardia
107:Toxic Woman
787:Categories
663:14 January
539:2024-09-05
500:2024-09-05
495:Unresolved
455:References
194:(Valium),
177:paramedics
173:California
142:vacutainer
103:Toxic Lady
99:California
75:malignancy
39:1963-01-11
710:934933234
340:into DMSO
284:hepatitis
235:nauseated
200:lorazepam
196:midazolam
169:Riverside
95:Riverside
607:Skeptoid
577:25 April
438:See also
418:Memories
192:diazepam
746:9248041
613:22 June
310:); DMSO
231:fainted
216:ammonia
105:or the
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708:
698:
352:Burial
300:garlic
208:garlic
322:(DMSO
318:into
306:(DMSO
175:, by
742:PMID
706:OCLC
696:ISBN
665:2018
615:2017
579:2021
469:SSDI
406:The
286:and
258:The
220:tube
183:and
54:Died
29:Born
734:doi
430:, "
243:CPR
167:in
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