Infant in TN critical after being fed mercury for stomach pain

A homemade remedy to treat stomach ache became a lethal for a 10-day-old baby who was fed mercury mixed with betel leaf juice by her own maternal grandmother in Tamil Nadu. The doctor said that the infant is suffering from Septicemia due to mercury poisoning.

Thanjavur(Tamil Nadu):A 10-day-old baby girl is battling for life at a government hospital in Tamil Nadu after she was allegedly fed mercury mixed with betel leaf juice by her maternal grandmother to treat stomach ache.

A doctor at the hospital said that the infant is suffering from Septicemia due to mercury poisoning.

Septicemia occurs when a bacterial infection elsewhere in the body, such as lungs or skin, enters into the bloodstream.

"The baby's maternal grandmother fed mercury with betel leaf juice (to the infant) leading to her critical condition," he said.

Sumatra, the baby's mother said that her child had developed stomach pain due to constipation after which the grandmother gave her the concoction.

Later the health condition of the baby was got worse, said Sumatra.

Then she was rushed to the Mayiladuthurai government hospital for treatment, she added.

Meanwhile, the infant was later referred to the hospital in Thanjavur.